Carleton College is the more selective of the two, admitting 21.8% of applicants versus 26.0% at Macalester College. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $10,567 per year at Carleton College versus $14,567 at Macalester College. Admitted students post SAT middle-50% ranges of 1460–1530 at Carleton College and 1350–1480 at Macalester College.
| Metric | Carleton College | Macalester College |
|---|---|---|
| Overall acceptance rate | 21.8% | 26.0% |
| Early acceptance rate | 34.6% | 40.0% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1460–1530 | 1350–1480 |
| Avg unweighted GPA | 3.9 | 3.85 |
| Yield rate | 35.0% | 21.5% |
| Class size | 518 | 534 |
| Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income | $10,567 | $14,567 |
| Net price, over $110,000 income | $52,567 | $48,567 |
Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2025–26 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.
Yes. Carleton College admits 21.8% of applicants, compared with 26.0% at Macalester College, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.
For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $10,567 per year at Carleton College and $14,567 at Macalester College, so Carleton College is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).
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