Carleton College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Carleton College is a private institution located in Northfield, Minnesota and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Carleton College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 22%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1500 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $25,407 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Carleton College?

Most admitted students at Carleton College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.

What does Carleton College weight in admissions?

Carleton College reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

How Carleton College reads an application: what each weighting means for your child, plus waitlist, transfer and early-round odds

SAT and ACT scores Carleton College typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–790, with an EBRW midpoint near 729. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 32–34. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does Carleton College actually cost?

Published tuition is $68,892 for in-state students and $68,892 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,586 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $25,407 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 17% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Carleton College

Will my child graduate from Carleton College?

These predict outcomes at Carleton College better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Carleton College

The most popular undergraduate programs at Carleton College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Computer Science, Biology, General and International Relations and National Security Studies. Across all programs, Carleton College confers roughly 350 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Computer Science program report a median income of about $121,569 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Carleton College safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Carleton College disclosed 18 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 8.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 12 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Carleton College?

About 92% of undergraduates at Carleton College live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in Minnesota parents ask about

• Macalester College
  29% acceptance
• University of Minnesota Duluth
  89% acceptance
• University of Minnesota-Morris
  75% acceptance
• St Olaf College
  48% acceptance
• Gustavus Adolphus College
  61% acceptance
• University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
  80% acceptance
• University of St Thomas
  85% acceptance

Colleges that admit at a similar rate

• Berea College
  19% acceptance · Kentucky

Common questions parents ask about Carleton College