Macalester College vs. Olin College

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

Macalester College Olin College
Location Saint Paul, MN Needham, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,175 386
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College Olin College
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $57,280
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $57,280
Room & Board $14,000 $18,524
Avg Net Price $36,095 $38,502
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $40,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 100%

Admission

Macalester College Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 862
Admitted 2,397 165
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 19.1%
Enrolled % 23% 45.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 30/34 35/35
SAT Range 1340/1500 1490/1560
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 1, 2025

Academics

Macalester College Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Macalester College Olin College
Graduation Rate 87% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 89% -
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $234 $152

Diversity

Macalester College Olin College
% Men 42% 50%
% Women 58% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 53%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 14% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 11%

Students

Macalester College Olin College
% In-State 18% 12%
% Out-of-State 69% 79%

Campus

Macalester College Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
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 Olin College based on total student enrollment (2,175 students vs. 386 students)

Macalester College vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or Olin College?

  • Macalester College is 8.7% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at Macalester College than Olin College of Engineering ($62,270.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Macalester College than Olin College ($36,095 vs. $38,502)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 32.3% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($14,000 vs. $18,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Macalester College (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olin College of Engineering students is 0.6% larger than aid received Macalester College ($40,522 vs. $40,262)

Macalester College vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 148 points higher than at Macalester College (1358)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Macalester College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Olin College (19.1%)

Macalester College vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Macalester College or Olin 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 Olin College and Macalester College.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Macalester College (96% vs. 87%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $7,960 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($14,710 vs. $22,670)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($152 vs. $234)

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