Macalester College vs. Sarah Lawrence

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

Carleton College Grinnell Oberlin Kenyon St Olaf Vassar Fordham St Lawrence University Oxy Minnesota Reed Skidmore College
Macalester College vs. Sarah Lawrence College comparison
Macalester College Sarah Lawrence College College 3 College 4
Macalester College Sarah Lawrence College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
Location Saint Paul, MN Bronxville, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,175 1,696
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #132
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu slc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $60,700
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $60,700
Room & Board $14,000 $16,780
Avg Net Price $36,095 $42,781
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $33,957
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 87%

Admission

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 5,186
Admitted 2,397 2,587
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 49.9%
Enrolled % 23% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 30/34 29/33
SAT Range 1340/1500 1260/1450
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

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
Graduation Rate 87% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $44,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $13,500
Median Loan Payment $234 $139

Diversity

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
% Men 42% 20%
% Women 58% 80%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 53%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 14% 13%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
% In-State 18% 18%
% Out-of-State 69% 76%

Campus

Macalester College Sarah Lawrence
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

  • Macalester College is larger than than Sarah Lawrence based on total student enrollment (2,175 students vs. 1,696 students)

Macalester College vs. Sarah Lawrence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or Sarah Lawrence?

  • Macalester College is 2.6% more expensive to attend than Sarah Lawrence for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $60,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.6% higher at Macalester College than Sarah Lawrence College ($62,270.00 vs. $60,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Macalester College than Sarah Lawrence ($36,095 vs. $42,781)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 19.9% lower than costs at Sarah Lawrence College ($14,000 vs. $16,780)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Sarah Lawrence College (89% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 18.6% larger than aid received Sarah Lawrence College ($40,262 vs. $33,957)

Macalester College vs. Sarah Lawrence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Sarah Lawrence (3.75)
  • Sarah Lawrence has a higher acceptance rate (49.9%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

Macalester College vs. Sarah Lawrence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Macalester College or Sarah Lawrence? 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 Sarah Lawrence and Macalester College.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Sarah Lawrence College (87% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $10,000 more per year than Sarah Lawrence graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $44,100)
  • Sarah Lawrence College students graduate with a $9,170 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($13,500 vs. $22,670)
  • Sarah Lawrence graduates are paying $95 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($139 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sarah Lawrence 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/