Carleton College vs. Lafayette College

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Lehigh Bucknell Macalester College Grinnell Villanova St Olaf Fordham Union College Skidmore College Colgate University of Richmond Trinity College
Carleton College vs. Lafayette College comparison
Carleton College Lafayette College College 3 College 4
Carleton College Lafayette College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Carleton College Lafayette College
Location Northfield, MN Easton, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,059 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #65
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $58,110
Room & Board $15,990 $17,336
Avg Net Price $31,494 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 98%

Admission

Carleton College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 10,500
Admitted 1,427 3,531
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 33.6%
Enrolled % 37.3% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 32/35 30/33
SAT Range 1430/1550 1330/1480
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 Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Carleton College Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 93% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $268

Diversity

Carleton College Lafayette College
% Men 50% 50%
% Women 50% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 67%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 10% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Carleton College Lafayette College
% In-State 17% 16%
% Out-of-State 73% 76%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lafayette College is larger than than Carleton College based on total student enrollment (2,729 students vs. 2,059 students)

Carleton College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or Lafayette College?

  • Carleton College is 7.1% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.1% higher at Carleton College than Lafayette College ($62,244.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Lafayette College ($31,494 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carleton College are 8.4% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($15,990 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Carleton College (98% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 87.4% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($46,821 vs. $24,981)

Carleton College vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 106 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Lafayette College has a higher acceptance rate (33.6%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton College or Lafayette 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 Lafayette College and Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Lafayette College (93% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $15,400 more per year than Carleton College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $65,600)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($201 vs. $268)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lafayette College 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/