Carleton College vs. St Olaf

Should I go to Carleton College or St Olaf College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carleton College or St Olaf 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.

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Carleton College vs. St Olaf College comparison
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Carleton College St Olaf College
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Overview

Carleton College St Olaf
Location Northfield, MN Northfield, MN
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 2,059 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #156
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $54,650
Room & Board $15,990 $12,450
Avg Net Price $31,494 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 99%

Admission

Carleton College St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 5,524
Admitted 1,427 3,116
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 56.4%
Enrolled % 37.3% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/35 28/33
SAT Range 1430/1550 1300/1480
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 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Carleton College St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Carleton College St Olaf
Graduation Rate 93% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $279

Diversity

Carleton College St Olaf
% Men 50% 42%
% Women 50% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 75%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Carleton College St Olaf
% In-State 17% 47%
% Out-of-State 73% 43%

Campus

Carleton College St Olaf
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

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Carleton College based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 2,059 students)

Carleton College vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or St Olaf?

  • Carleton College is 13.9% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.9% higher at Carleton College than St Olaf College ($62,244.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Carleton College ($26,171 vs. $31,494)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 28.4% lower than costs at Carleton College ($12,450 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Carleton College (99% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 15.9% larger than aid received St Olaf College ($46,821 vs. $40,399)

Carleton College vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 118 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at St Olaf (29)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (56.4%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton College or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf and Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than St Olaf College (93% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $11,900 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $53,700)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St Olaf students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 91%)

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