Carleton College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Northfield, Minnesota. It enrolls 2,086 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
79/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes96
Value60
Affordability19
Selectivity96
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Carleton College admits 20.4% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.
Acceptance Rate
20.4%
Very Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1450 – 1560
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
32 – 34
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Carleton College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
3.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $25,407 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$68,892
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,586
Books & Supplies
$938
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,788
Total Cost of Attendance
$84,893
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,881
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,203
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,680
$75,001 – $110,000
$18,485
Over $110,000
$44,082
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$6,00010%percentile
$12,00025%percentile
$16,750Medianpercentile
$23,50075%percentile
$27,12190%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $14,983
↓ $1,767
No Pell $16,254
↓ $496
Female students $16,053
↓ $697
Male students $15,960
↓ $790
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,667, less than completers ($16,750), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
93% of students who start here finish within six years, and 96% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
93%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
96%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $75,525 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$75,525
Earning > $25K
89%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$57,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$77,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $19,400, about 25% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$3.0 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,086 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
2,086
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
16%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 51.0%1,063
International 10.4%217
Asian 10.3%214
Hispanic 10.1%210
Other 9.0%187
Black 5.9%123
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Carleton College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Carleton College offers
a varied set of programs:
26 distinct programs across
14 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 8 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
8:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$1.6B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$109,560
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
261 instructional faculty across 6 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
115
44%
$137,853
Associate Professors
48
18%
$109,204
Assistant Professors
72
28%
$78,370
Instructors
3
1%
$58,259
Lecturers
17
7%
$77,287
No Rank
6
2%
$61,497
Pros & Cons of Carleton College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Carleton College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Carleton College is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Carleton College
The questions families ask most about Carleton College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Carleton College hard to get into?
Carleton College is highly selective. Its acceptance rate is 20.4%, so admitted students generally have strong grades, competitive test scores, and a well-rounded application.
What is the acceptance rate at Carleton College?
20.4% of applicants are admitted. Fewer than a third of applicants get in, so treat it as a stretch rather than a safe bet. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Carleton College?
Aim for 1560 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1450 and 1560 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Carleton College?
Aim for 34 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 32 and 34 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Carleton College cost?
Budget around $25,407 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Carleton College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $75,525 a year against a net price of $25,407, about 3.0 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Carleton College known for?
Mostly Computer Science, Biology, International Relations. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Carleton College graduates earn?
About $75,525 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Carleton College accredited?
Yes. Carleton College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Carleton College?
2,086 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Carleton College?
93% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Carleton College a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Carleton College located?
Carleton College is located in Northfield, Minnesota.
What programs does Carleton College offer?
26 different programs, most commonly Computer Science, Biology, International Relations. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Carleton College?
8 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Minnesota
Other colleges in Minnesota share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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