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Carleton College
Carleton College turned away roughly 78% of its 6,464 applicants in the Fall 2023 cycle — selective enough that the middle-50% ranges below deserve a careful read.
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Carleton College anchors the college town of Northfield, MN, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. International students are a visible presence here — 10.4% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Faculty pay averages $167,520 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 2,086 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 96.5% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1430 and 1550 — above the MN middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Carleton College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1430–1550 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, Carleton College's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 710 | 740 | 760 |
| SAT Math | 720 | 760 | 790 |
| ACT Composite | 32 | 33 | 34 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Carleton College received 6,464 applications and admitted 1,440 (22.3%), with 538 enrolling.
How Carleton College compares
| Carleton College | Minnesota median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 20.4% | 85.4% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $68,892 | $22,520 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $75,525 | $58,351 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Carleton College student earns $75,525 — 29% above the Minnesota median of $58,351 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
Carleton College lists tuition at $68,892 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Carleton College's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $68,892 as the ceiling, not the bill.
Carleton College enrolls 2,086 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs Carleton College's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
89.6% of Carleton College students finish a bachelor's within six years — 34.7 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $68,892 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Carleton College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1430–1550 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 20.4% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Carleton College's acceptance rate?
22.3% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 1,440 admitted from 6,464 applicants.
How much does Carleton College cost?
At Carleton College, published tuition is $68,892 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Carleton College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Carleton College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $75,525 ten years after enrolling.
Similar colleges in Minnesota
- Macalester College — 28.5% admitted
- Crown College — 22.8% admitted
- Concordia College at Moorhead — 62.6% admitted
- Concordia University-Saint Paul — 78.9% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.