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Carleton College Grinnell Oberlin Kenyon St Olaf Oxy Minnesota Reed Coe College Case Western Whitman College Vassar| Cornell College | Macalester College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
| Location | Mount Vernon, IA | Saint Paul, MN | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,084 | 2,142 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #455 | #104 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cornellcollege.edu | macalester.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $49,970 | $64,678 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $49,970 | $64,678 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,358 | $15,477 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,850 | $38,571 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $38,486 | $40,329 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 88% |
Admission |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,087 | 8,099 | ||
| Admitted | 2,490 | 2,285 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 80.7% | 28.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 22.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.53 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 23/30 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1150/1318 | 1350/1510 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $45,400 | $54,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $22,670 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $234 |
Diversity |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 66% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 3% | 14% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 0% |
Students |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 18% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 69% | ||
Campus |
Cornell College | Macalester College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Macalester College is larger than than Cornell College based on total student enrollment (2,142 students vs. 1,084 students)
Cornell College vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cornell College or Macalester College?
- Macalester College is 29.4% more expensive to attend than Cornell College for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $49,970.00)
- Out of state tuition is 29.4% higher at Macalester College than Cornell College ($64,678.00 vs. $49,970.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell College than Macalester College ($25,850 vs. $38,571)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell College are 36.3% lower than costs at Macalester College ($11,358 vs. $15,477)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College than Macalester College (100% vs. 88%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 4.8% larger than aid received Cornell College ($40,329 vs. $38,486)
Cornell College vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cornell College or Macalester College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Macalester College or Cornell College .
- The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 181 points higher than at Cornell College (1177)
- Incoming Macalester College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cornell College (26)
- Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Cornell College (3.53)
- Cornell College has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than Macalester College (28.2%)
Cornell College vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cornell 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 Cornell College.
- The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Cornell College (87% vs. 70%)
- Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $8,700 more per year than Cornell College graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $45,400)
- Macalester College students graduate with a $4,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($22,670 vs. $27,000)
- Macalester College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($234 vs. $279)
- More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/