Colorado College vs. Carleton College

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

Colorado College Carleton College
Location Colorado Springs, CO Northfield, MN
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,203 2,059
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #80 #39
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website coloradocollege.edu carleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado College Carleton College
Tuition (In State) $64,554 $62,244
Tuition (Out of State) $64,554 $62,244
Room & Board $14,376 $15,990
Avg Net Price $33,178 $31,494
Avg Grant Aid $46,160 $46,821
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 60%

Admission

Colorado College Carleton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,846 8,583
Admitted 1,279 1,427
Acceptance Rate 16.3% 16.6%
Enrolled % 41.8% 37.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 29/33 32/35
SAT Range 1260/1480 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 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Colorado College Carleton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Colorado College Carleton College
Graduation Rate 88% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $65,600
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $201

Diversity

Colorado College Carleton College
% Men 44% 50%
% Women 56% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 63%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Colorado College Carleton College
% In-State 19% 17%
% Out-of-State 77% 73%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado College is larger than than Carleton College based on total student enrollment (2,203 students vs. 2,059 students)

Colorado College vs. Carleton College Cost Comparison

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

  • Colorado College is 3.7% more expensive to attend than Carleton College for in-state tuition ($64,554.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.7% higher at Colorado College than Carleton College ($64,554.00 vs. $62,244.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Colorado College ($31,494 vs. $33,178)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado College are 11.2% lower than costs at Carleton College ($14,376 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carleton College than Colorado College (60% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 1.4% larger than aid received Colorado College ($46,821 vs. $46,160)

Colorado College vs. Carleton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Colorado College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Carleton College (3.9)
  • Carleton College has a higher acceptance rate (16.6%) than Colorado College (16.3%)

Colorado College vs. Carleton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado College 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 Colorado College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Colorado College (93% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $19,600 more per year than Colorado College graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $46,000)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,500)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado College graduates. ($201 vs. $211)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 88%)

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