Amherst vs. Carleton College

Should I go to Amherst College or Carleton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Carleton 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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Amherst College vs. Carleton College comparison
Amherst College Carleton College College 3 College 4
Amherst College Carleton College
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Overview

Amherst Carleton College
Location Amherst, MA Northfield, MN
Setting Town Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 1,898 2,059
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #39
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu carleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Carleton College
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $62,244
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $62,244
Room & Board $16,750 $15,990
Avg Net Price $21,367 $31,494
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $46,821
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 60%

Admission

Amherst Carleton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 8,583
Admitted 1,079 1,427
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 16.6%
Enrolled % 43.3% 37.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/35 32/35
SAT Range 1420/1550 1430/1550
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 2, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Amherst Carleton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Amherst Carleton College
Graduation Rate 96% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $65,600
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $201

Diversity

Amherst Carleton College
% Men 48% 50%
% Women 52% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 63%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 13% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 10% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Amherst Carleton College
% In-State 13% 17%
% Out-of-State 74% 73%

Campus

Amherst Carleton College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Carleton College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Carleton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Carleton College?

  • Amherst College is 2% more expensive to attend than Carleton College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Amherst than Carleton College ($63,500.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Carleton College ($21,367 vs. $31,494)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carleton College are 4.8% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,990 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carleton College than Amherst College (60% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 25.4% larger than aid received Carleton College ($58,693 vs. $46,821)

Amherst vs. Carleton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 51 points higher than at Carleton College (1400)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Carleton College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Carleton College (3.9)
  • Carleton College has a higher acceptance rate (16.6%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Carleton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Carleton College (96% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $16,400 more per year than Carleton College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $65,600)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $6,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Carleton College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $19,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Carleton College graduates. ($134 vs. $201)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 83%)

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