Colorado College vs. Macalester College

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

Colorado College Macalester College
Location Colorado Springs, CO Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 2,203 2,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #80 #97
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website coloradocollege.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado College Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $64,554 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $64,554 $62,270
Room & Board $14,376 $14,000
Avg Net Price $33,178 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $46,160 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 89%

Admission

Colorado College Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,846 8,434
Admitted 1,279 2,397
Acceptance Rate 16.3% 28.4%
Enrolled % 41.8% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 29/33 30/34
SAT Range 1260/1480 1340/1500
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 15, 2025

Academics

Colorado College Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Colorado College Macalester College
Graduation Rate 88% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $211 $234

Diversity

Colorado College Macalester College
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 66%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 7% 14%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Colorado College Macalester College
% In-State 19% 18%
% Out-of-State 77% 69%

Campus

Colorado College Macalester 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 Macalester College based on total student enrollment (2,203 students vs. 2,175 students)

Colorado College vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

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

  • Colorado College is 3.7% more expensive to attend than Macalester College for in-state tuition ($64,554.00 vs. $62,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.7% higher at Colorado College than Macalester College ($64,554.00 vs. $62,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado College than Macalester College ($33,178 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 2.7% lower than costs at Colorado College ($14,000 vs. $14,376)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Colorado College (89% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado College students is 14.6% larger than aid received Macalester College ($46,160 vs. $40,262)

Colorado College vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Colorado College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Colorado College (16.3%)

Colorado College vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado College or Macalester 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 Macalester College and Colorado College.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado College is higher than Macalester College (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $8,100 more per year than Colorado College graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $46,000)
  • Colorado College students graduate with a $2,170 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,670)
  • Colorado College graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($211 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 88%)

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