Amherst vs. Macalester College

Should I go to Amherst College or Macalester College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Macalester College 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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Amherst College vs. Macalester College comparison
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Amherst College Macalester College
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Overview

Amherst Macalester College
Location Amherst, MA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Town Fringe Large City
Enrollment 1,898 2,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #97
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $62,270
Room & Board $16,750 $14,000
Avg Net Price $21,367 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 89%

Admission

Amherst Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 8,434
Admitted 1,079 2,397
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 28.4%
Enrolled % 43.3% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 32/35 30/34
SAT Range 1420/1550 1340/1500
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 2, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Amherst Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Amherst Macalester College
Graduation Rate 96% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $134 $234

Diversity

Amherst Macalester College
% Men 48% 42%
% Women 52% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 66%
% Black 12% 2%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 10% 14%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Amherst Macalester College
% In-State 13% 18%
% Out-of-State 74% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Macalester College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,175 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Macalester College?

  • Amherst College is 2% more expensive to attend than Macalester College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $62,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Amherst than Macalester College ($63,500.00 vs. $62,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Macalester College ($21,367 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 19.6% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,000 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Amherst College (89% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 45.8% larger than aid received Macalester College ($58,693 vs. $40,262)

Amherst vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 93 points higher than at Macalester College (1358)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Macalester College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Macalester College? 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 Macalester College and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Macalester College (96% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $27,900 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $54,100)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $9,695 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $22,670)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $100 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($134 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 83%)

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