Carleton College vs. Rhodes College

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

Carleton College Rhodes College
Location Northfield, MN Memphis, TN
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 2,069 1,952
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #42 #136
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu rhodes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College Rhodes College
Tuition (In State) $65,043 $54,082
Tuition (Out of State) $65,043 $54,082
Room & Board $16,710 $12,910
Avg Net Price $29,434 $30,590
Avg Grant Aid $51,916 $37,543
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

Carleton College Rhodes College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,464 6,025
Admitted 1,440 2,993
Acceptance Rate 22.3% 49.7%
Enrolled % 37.4% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34 28/33
SAT Range 1430/1550 1290/1490
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Carleton College Rhodes College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

Carleton College Rhodes College
Graduation Rate 93% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $59,400
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,217
Median Loan Payment $201 $271

Diversity

Carleton College Rhodes College
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 74%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Carleton College Rhodes College
% In-State 21% 36%
% Out-of-State 67% 59%

Campus

Carleton College Rhodes College
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 Rhodes College based on total student enrollment (2,069 students vs. 1,952 students)

Carleton College vs. Rhodes College Cost Comparison

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

  • Carleton College is 20.3% more expensive to attend than Rhodes College for in-state tuition ($65,043.00 vs. $54,082.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.3% higher at Carleton College than Rhodes College ($65,043.00 vs. $54,082.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Rhodes College ($29,434 vs. $30,590)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhodes College are 29.4% lower than costs at Carleton College ($12,910 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rhodes College than Carleton College (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 38.3% larger than aid received Rhodes College ($51,916 vs. $37,543)

Carleton College vs. Rhodes College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 94 points higher than at Rhodes College (1306)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Rhodes College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Rhodes College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Carleton College (3.9)
  • Rhodes College has a higher acceptance rate (49.7%) than Carleton College (22.3%)

Carleton College vs. Rhodes College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Rhodes College (93% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $6,200 more per year than Rhodes College graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $59,400)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $6,717 lower median federal student loan debt than Rhodes College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,217)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Rhodes College graduates. ($201 vs. $271)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rhodes College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 79%)

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