Carleton College vs. Davidson

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

Carleton College Davidson
Location Northfield, MN Davidson, NC
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,059 1,927
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #37
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu davidson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College Davidson
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $56,550
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $56,550
Room & Board $15,990 $15,750
Avg Net Price $31,494 $26,704
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $46,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 65%

Admission

Carleton College Davidson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 6,479
Admitted 1,427 1,098
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 16.9%
Enrolled % 37.3% 49.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/35 31/33
SAT Range 1430/1550 1350/1500
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, 2025 Jan 7, 2025

Academics

Carleton College Davidson
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)

Outcomes

Carleton College Davidson
Graduation Rate 93% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $63,500
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $175

Diversity

Carleton College Davidson
% Men 50% 47%
% Women 50% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 68%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Carleton College Davidson
% In-State 17% 17%
% Out-of-State 73% 71%

Campus

Carleton College Davidson
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

  • Carleton College is larger than than Davidson based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 1,927 students)

Carleton College vs. Davidson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or Davidson?

  • Carleton College is 10.1% more expensive to attend than Davidson for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $56,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.1% higher at Carleton College than Davidson College ($62,244.00 vs. $56,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than Carleton College ($26,704 vs. $31,494)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Davidson College are 1.5% lower than costs at Carleton College ($15,750 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Davidson College than Carleton College (65% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 0.7% larger than aid received Davidson College ($46,821 vs. $46,496)

Carleton College vs. Davidson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 45 points higher than at Davidson (1355)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at Davidson (31)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Davidson (3.81)
  • Davidson has a higher acceptance rate (16.9%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton College or Davidson? 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 Davidson and Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Davidson College (93% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $2,100 more per year than Davidson graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $63,500)
  • Davidson College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Carleton College graduates. ($17,000 vs. $19,500)
  • Davidson graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Carleton College graduates. ($175 vs. $201)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Davidson students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 89%)

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