Macalester College vs. Davidson

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

Macalester College Davidson
Location Saint Paul, MN Davidson, NC
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,175 1,927
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #37
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu davidson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College Davidson
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $56,550
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $56,550
Room & Board $14,000 $15,750
Avg Net Price $36,095 $26,704
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $46,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 65%

Admission

Macalester College Davidson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 6,479
Admitted 2,397 1,098
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 16.9%
Enrolled % 23% 49.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 30/34 31/33
SAT Range 1340/1500 1350/1500
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 Jan 7, 2025

Academics

Macalester College Davidson
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)

Outcomes

Macalester College Davidson
Graduation Rate 87% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $63,500
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $175

Diversity

Macalester College Davidson
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 68%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 14% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Macalester College Davidson
% In-State 18% 17%
% Out-of-State 69% 71%

Campus

Macalester College Davidson
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
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 Davidson based on total student enrollment (2,175 students vs. 1,927 students)

Macalester College vs. Davidson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or Davidson?

  • Macalester College is 10.1% more expensive to attend than Davidson for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $56,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.1% higher at Macalester College than Davidson College ($62,270.00 vs. $56,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than Macalester College ($26,704 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 12.5% lower than costs at Davidson College ($14,000 vs. $15,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Davidson College (89% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 15.5% larger than aid received Macalester College ($46,496 vs. $40,262)

Macalester College vs. Davidson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 3 points higher than at Davidson (1355)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at Davidson (31)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.81) as students at Davidson (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Davidson (16.9%)

Macalester College vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Macalester College or Davidson? 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 Davidson and Macalester College.

  • The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than Macalester College (92% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn on average $9,400 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($63,500 vs. $54,100)
  • Davidson College students graduate with a $5,670 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($17,000 vs. $22,670)
  • Davidson graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($175 vs. $234)
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Macalester College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 89%)

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