Carleton College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester

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

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Location Northfield, MN Rochester, MN
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 2,059 630
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #39
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $12,808
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $12,808
Room & Board $15,990 $12,882
Avg Net Price $31,494 $12,613
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $11,833
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 67%

Admission

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 1,198
Admitted 1,427 859
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 71.7%
Enrolled % 37.3% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/35 20/26
SAT Range 1430/1550 1058/1331
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 Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Graduation Rate 93% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $201 $208

Diversity

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
% Men 50% 20%
% Women 50% 80%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 79%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
% In-State 17% 78%
% Out-of-State 73% 21%

Campus

Carleton College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Carleton College is larger than than University of Minnesota-Rochester based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 630 students)

Carleton College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or University of Minnesota-Rochester?

  • Carleton College is 386% more expensive to attend than University of Minnesota-Rochester for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $12,808.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 386% higher at Carleton College than University of Minnesota Rochester ($62,244.00 vs. $12,808.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Rochester than Carleton College ($12,613 vs. $31,494)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Rochester are 24.1% lower than costs at Carleton College ($12,882 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Rochester than Carleton College (67% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 295.7% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Rochester ($46,821 vs. $11,833)

Carleton College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 290 points higher than at University of Minnesota-Rochester (1110)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at University of Minnesota-Rochester (24)
  • University of Minnesota-Rochester has a higher acceptance rate (71.7%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton College or University of Minnesota-Rochester? 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 University of Minnesota-Rochester and Carleton College.

  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $7,400 more per year than University of Minnesota-Rochester graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $58,200)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $685 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Minnesota-Rochester graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,185)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than University of Minnesota-Rochester graduates. ($201 vs. $208)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Minnesota-Rochester students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 74%)

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