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Iowa Carleton College Michigan State Purdue Nebraska UIC Minnesota Grinnell UNI Oberlin Illinois ASU| Iowa State University | Macalester College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | Saint Paul, MN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,177 | 2,142 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #351 | #104 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | macalester.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,982 | $64,678 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,168 | $64,678 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,726 | $15,477 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,354 | $38,571 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,718 | $40,329 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 77% | 88% |
Admission |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22,995 | 8,099 | ||
| Admitted | 20,496 | 2,285 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.1% | 28.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 22.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1110/1350 | 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 |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $54,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,868 | $22,670 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $234 |
Diversity |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 5% | ||
| % International | 7% | 14% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 52% | 18% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 69% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Macalester College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Iowa State University is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (30,177 students vs. 2,142 students)
ISU vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Macalester College?
- Macalester College is 620.1% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $8,982.00)
- Out of state tuition is 147.2% higher at Macalester College than Iowa State University ($64,678.00 vs. $26,168.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Macalester College ($17,354 vs. $38,571)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 59.1% lower than costs at Macalester College ($9,726 vs. $15,477)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Iowa State University (88% vs. 77%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 276.3% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($40,329 vs. $10,718)
ISU vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Macalester College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Macalester College or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 216 points higher than at ISU (1142)
- Incoming Macalester College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at ISU (25)
- Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at ISU (3.7)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Macalester College (28.2%)
ISU vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.
- The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Iowa State University (87% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $400 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $53,700)
- Macalester College students graduate with a $1,198 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,670 vs. $23,868)
- Macalester College graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($234 vs. $246)
- More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU 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/