Carleton College vs. Reed

Should I go to Carleton College or Reed College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carleton College or Reed is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Macalester College Grinnell St Olaf Whitman College Oxy Hamilton College Oberlin Middlebury Stanford Pomona Lewis and Clark WUSTL
Carleton College vs. Reed College comparison
Carleton College Reed College College 3 College 4
Carleton College Reed College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Carleton College Reed
Location Northfield, MN Portland, OR
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 2,059 1,534
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #77
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu reed.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College Reed
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $64,450
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $64,450
Room & Board $15,990 $15,950
Avg Net Price $31,494 $33,106
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $47,864
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 60%

Admission

Carleton College Reed
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 9,023
Admitted 1,427 2,779
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 30.8%
Enrolled % 37.3% 14.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 32/35 30/33
SAT Range 1430/1550 1320/1500
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Carleton College Reed
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Foreign Languages (15%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)

Outcomes

Carleton College Reed
Graduation Rate 93% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $47,200
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $16,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $165

Diversity

Carleton College Reed
% Men 50% 42%
% Women 50% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 60%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

Carleton College Reed
% In-State 17% 6%
% Out-of-State 73% 87%

Campus

Carleton College Reed
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Carleton College is larger than than Reed based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 1,534 students)

Carleton College vs. Reed Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or Reed?

  • Reed College is 3.5% more expensive to attend than Carleton College for in-state tuition ($64,450.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.5% higher at Reed than Carleton College ($64,450.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Reed ($31,494 vs. $33,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Reed College are 0.3% lower than costs at Carleton College ($15,950 vs. $15,990)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Carleton College as Reed College (60% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Reed College students is 2.2% larger than aid received Carleton College ($47,864 vs. $46,821)

Carleton College vs. Reed Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Carleton College or Reed? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Reed or Carleton College .

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 17 points higher than at Reed (1383)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at Reed (31)
  • Accepted freshman Reed students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Carleton College (3.9)
  • Reed has a higher acceptance rate (30.8%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. Reed Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton College or Reed? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Reed and Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Reed College (93% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $18,400 more per year than Reed graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $47,200)
  • Reed College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Carleton College graduates. ($16,000 vs. $19,500)
  • Reed graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Carleton College graduates. ($165 vs. $201)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Reed students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 84%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/