Carleton College vs. Olin College

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

Carleton College Olin College
Location Northfield, MN Needham, MA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,059 386
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College Olin College
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $57,280
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $57,280
Room & Board $15,990 $18,524
Avg Net Price $31,494 $38,502
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $40,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 100%

Admission

Carleton College Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 862
Admitted 1,427 165
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 19.1%
Enrolled % 37.3% 45.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/35 35/35
SAT Range 1430/1550 1490/1560
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 1, 2025

Academics

Carleton College Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Carleton College Olin College
Graduation Rate 93% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 92% -
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $201 $152

Diversity

Carleton College Olin College
% Men 50% 50%
% Women 50% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 53%
% Black 4% 0%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 11%

Students

Carleton College Olin College
% In-State 17% 12%
% Out-of-State 73% 79%

Campus

Carleton College Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Olin College based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 386 students)

Carleton College vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or Olin College?

  • Carleton College is 8.7% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at Carleton College than Olin College of Engineering ($62,244.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Olin College ($31,494 vs. $38,502)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carleton College are 15.8% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($15,990 vs. $18,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Carleton College (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 15.5% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($46,821 vs. $40,522)

Carleton College vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 106 points higher than at Carleton College (1400)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Carleton College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.9) as students at Olin College (3.9)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Carleton College (96% vs. 93%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $4,790 lower median federal student loan debt than Carleton College graduates. ($14,710 vs. $19,500)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Carleton College graduates. ($152 vs. $201)

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