Drake vs. Macalester College

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

Drake Macalester College
Location Des Moines, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 4,685 2,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #149 #97
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drake.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Drake Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $47,564 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $47,564 $62,270
Room & Board $11,570 $14,000
Avg Net Price $30,333 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $31,274 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 89%

Admission

Drake Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,621 8,434
Admitted 5,796 2,397
Acceptance Rate 67.2% 28.4%
Enrolled % 12.6% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 25/30 30/34
SAT Range 1110/1340 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

Academics

Drake Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Drake Macalester College
Graduation Rate 75% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,500 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $268 $234

Diversity

Drake Macalester College
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 66%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 7% 14%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Drake Macalester College
% In-State 35% 18%
% Out-of-State 63% 69%

Campus

Drake 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

  • Drake University is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (4,685 students vs. 2,175 students)

Drake vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Drake or Macalester College?

  • Macalester College is 30.9% more expensive to attend than Drake for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.9% higher at Macalester College than Drake University ($62,270.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Drake University than Macalester College ($30,333 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 21% lower than costs at Macalester College ($11,570 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drake University than Macalester College (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 28.7% larger than aid received Drake University ($40,262 vs. $31,274)

Drake vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 134 points higher than at Drake (1224)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Drake (27)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Drake (3.7)
  • Drake has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

Drake vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drake 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 Drake.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Drake University (87% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Drake University earn on average $14,400 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $54,100)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $3,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($22,670 vs. $26,000)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($234 vs. $268)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Drake students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 84%)

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