Carleton College vs. MCAD

Should I go to Carleton College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carleton College or MCAD 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 Hamilton College Oberlin Middlebury Pomona WUSTL Colgate Emory Vassar Case Western
Carleton College vs. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Carleton College Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Carleton College Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Carleton College MCAD
Location Northfield, MN Minneapolis, MN
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 2,059 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Carleton College MCAD
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $42,110
Room & Board $15,990 $7,290
Avg Net Price $31,494 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 100%

Admission

 Carleton College MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 668
Admitted 1,427 380
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 56.9%
Enrolled % 37.3% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/35 19/27
SAT Range 1430/1550 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 Carleton College MCAD
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%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Carleton College MCAD
Graduation Rate 93% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $201 $266

Diversity

 Carleton College MCAD
% Men 50% 31%
% Women 50% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 59%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 16%

Students

 Carleton College MCAD
% In-State 17% 61%
% Out-of-State 73% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carleton College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 821 students)

Carleton College vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or MCAD?

  • Carleton College is 47.8% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.8% higher at Carleton College than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($62,244.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Carleton College ($28,443 vs. $31,494)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 119.3% lower than costs at Carleton College ($7,290 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Carleton College (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 79.9% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($46,821 vs. $26,025)

Carleton College vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 304 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.61 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • MCAD has a higher acceptance rate (56.9%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton College or MCAD? 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 MCAD and Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (93% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $24,100 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $41,500)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $6,250 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($19,500 vs. $25,750)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($201 vs. $266)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 74%)

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