Loyola vs. Macalester College

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

Loyola Macalester College
Location Chicago, IL Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 17,397 2,142
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #104
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luc.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Loyola Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $50,270 $64,678
Tuition (Out of State) $50,270 $64,678
Room & Board $16,894 $15,477
Avg Net Price $37,592 $38,571
Avg Grant Aid $27,123 $40,329
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 88%

Admission

Loyola Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,468 8,099
Admitted 32,937 2,285
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 28.2%
Enrolled % 9% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 27/31 30/33
SAT Range 1160/1340 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, 2025

Academics

Loyola Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Loyola Macalester College
Graduation Rate 70% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $258 $234

Diversity

Loyola Macalester College
% Men 9% 0%
% Women 20% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 66%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 14% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 5% 14%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Loyola Macalester College
% In-State 56% 18%
% Out-of-State 42% 69%

Campus

Loyola 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

  • Loyola University Chicago is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (17,397 students vs. 2,142 students)

Loyola vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Loyola or Macalester College?

  • Macalester College is 28.7% more expensive to attend than Loyola for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $50,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.7% higher at Macalester College than Loyola University Chicago ($64,678.00 vs. $50,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Loyola University Chicago than Macalester College ($37,592 vs. $38,571)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 9.2% lower than costs at Loyola University Chicago ($15,477 vs. $16,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Loyola University Chicago than Macalester College (99% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 48.7% larger than aid received Loyola University Chicago ($40,329 vs. $27,123)

Loyola vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 163 points higher than at Loyola (1195)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Loyola (27)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Loyola (3.71)
  • Loyola has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than Macalester College (28.2%)

Loyola vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Loyola 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 Loyola.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Loyola University Chicago (87% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Loyola University Chicago earn on average $5,700 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $54,100)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $2,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Loyola graduates. ($22,670 vs. $25,000)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Loyola graduates. ($234 vs. $258)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Loyola students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 76%)

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