Luther- Norse vs. Carleton College

Should I go to Luther College or Carleton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Luther- Norse or Carleton 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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Luther College vs. Carleton College comparison
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Luther College Carleton College
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Overview

Luther- Norse Carleton College
Location Decorah, IA Northfield, MN
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,463 2,069
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #299 #42
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luther.edu carleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Luther- Norse Carleton College
Tuition (In State) $49,650 $65,043
Tuition (Out of State) $49,650 $65,043
Room & Board $11,180 $16,710
Avg Net Price $24,790 $29,434
Avg Grant Aid $38,042 $51,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 57%

Admission

Luther- Norse Carleton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,447 6,464
Admitted 1,793 1,440
Acceptance Rate 73.3% 22.3%
Enrolled % 19.6% 37.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 22/29 32/34
SAT Range 1098/1318 1430/1550
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

Luther- Norse Carleton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Luther- Norse Carleton College
Graduation Rate 69% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $65,600
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $201

Diversity

Luther- Norse Carleton College
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 0% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 84% 63%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 6% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Luther- Norse Carleton College
% In-State 28% 21%
% Out-of-State 58% 67%

Campus

Luther- Norse Carleton 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

  • Carleton College is larger than than Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (2,069 students vs. 1,463 students)

Luther- Norse vs. Carleton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or Carleton College?

  • Carleton College is 31% more expensive to attend than Luther- Norse for in-state tuition ($65,043.00 vs. $49,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31% higher at Carleton College than Luther College ($65,043.00 vs. $49,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Luther College than Carleton College ($24,790 vs. $29,434)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 49.5% lower than costs at Carleton College ($11,180 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Luther College than Carleton College (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 36.5% larger than aid received Luther College ($51,916 vs. $38,042)

Luther- Norse vs. Carleton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 221 points higher than at Luther- Norse (1179)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Luther- Norse (26)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Luther- Norse (3.65)
  • Luther- Norse has a higher acceptance rate (73.3%) than Carleton College (22.3%)

Luther- Norse vs. Carleton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Luther- Norse or Carleton 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 Carleton College and Luther- Norse.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Luther College (93% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $15,600 more per year than Luther- Norse graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $50,000)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Luther- Norse students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 82%)

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