Carleton College vs. Union College

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

Carleton College Union College
Location Northfield, MN Schenectady, NY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 2,059 2,107
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #76
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu union.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College Union College
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $63,603
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $63,603
Room & Board $15,990 $15,768
Avg Net Price $31,494 $41,136
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $37,530
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 93%

Admission

Carleton College Union College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 8,458
Admitted 1,427 3,934
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 46.5%
Enrolled % 37.3% 14.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/35 29/33
SAT Range 1430/1550 1310/1490
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 Union College
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 (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Carleton College Union College
Graduation Rate 93% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $74,200
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $279

Diversity

Carleton College Union College
% Men 50% 55%
% Women 50% 45%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 73%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Carleton College Union College
% In-State 17% 28%
% Out-of-State 73% 63%

Campus

Carleton College Union College
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

  • Union College is larger than than Carleton College based on total student enrollment (2,107 students vs. 2,059 students)

Carleton College vs. Union College Cost Comparison

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

  • Union College is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Carleton College for in-state tuition ($63,603.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Union College than Carleton College ($63,603.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Union College ($31,494 vs. $41,136)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Union College are 1.4% lower than costs at Carleton College ($15,768 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than Carleton College (93% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 24.8% larger than aid received Union College ($46,821 vs. $37,530)

Carleton College vs. Union College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Union College (3.5)
  • Union College has a higher acceptance rate (46.5%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. Union College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Union College (93% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $8,600 more per year than Carleton College graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $65,600)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Union College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 86%)

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