Macalester College vs. Hamilton College

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

Macalester College Hamilton College
Location Saint Paul, MN Clinton, NY
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,175 2,072
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #28
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu hamilton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College Hamilton College
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $62,050
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $62,050
Room & Board $14,000 $15,910
Avg Net Price $36,095 $24,503
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $52,497
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 54%

Admission

Macalester College Hamilton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 9,899
Admitted 2,397 1,166
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 11.8%
Enrolled % 23% 41%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 30/34 33/34
SAT Range 1340/1500 1420/1540
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 5, 2025

Academics

Macalester College Hamilton College
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%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

Macalester College Hamilton College
Graduation Rate 87% 89%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $79,000
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $15,760
Median Loan Payment $234 $162

Diversity

Macalester College Hamilton College
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 63%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 14% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Macalester College Hamilton College
% In-State 18% 25%
% Out-of-State 69% 66%

Campus

Macalester College Hamilton College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Macalester College is larger than than Hamilton College based on total student enrollment (2,175 students vs. 2,072 students)

Macalester College vs. Hamilton College Cost Comparison

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

  • Macalester College is 0.4% more expensive to attend than Hamilton College for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $62,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.4% higher at Macalester College than Hamilton College ($62,270.00 vs. $62,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hamilton College than Macalester College ($24,503 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 13.6% lower than costs at Hamilton College ($14,000 vs. $15,910)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Hamilton College (89% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hamilton College students is 30.4% larger than aid received Macalester College ($52,497 vs. $40,262)

Macalester College vs. Hamilton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Hamilton College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Hamilton College (11.8%)

Macalester College vs. Hamilton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Hamilton College is higher than Macalester College (89% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Hamilton College earn on average $24,900 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($79,000 vs. $54,100)
  • Hamilton College students graduate with a $6,910 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($15,760 vs. $22,670)
  • Hamilton College graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($162 vs. $234)
  • More Hamilton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Macalester College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 89%)

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