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Lehigh Bucknell Carleton College Villanova Grinnell Fordham Union College Skidmore College Colgate University of Richmond Oberlin Trinity College| Macalester College | Lafayette College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Macalester College | Lafayette College | ||
| Location | Saint Paul, MN | Easton, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,142 | 2,764 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #104 | #66 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Presbyterian Church (USA) | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | macalester.edu | lafayette.edu | ||
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Costs |
Macalester College | Lafayette College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,678 | $61,482 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,678 | $61,482 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,477 | $18,640 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $38,571 | $34,728 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $40,329 | $44,126 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 88% | 52% |
Admission |
Macalester College | Lafayette College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,099 | 9,874 | ||
| Admitted | 2,285 | 3,107 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 28.2% | 31.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.7% | 22.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.53 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 30/33 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1350/1510 | 1340/1490 | ||
| 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 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Macalester College | Lafayette College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Macalester College | Lafayette College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 88% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $54,100 | $81,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 91% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,670 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $234 | $268 |
Diversity |
Macalester College | Lafayette College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 66% | 67% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 14% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 7% |
Students |
Macalester College | Lafayette College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 18% | 13% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 79% | ||
Campus |
Macalester College | Lafayette 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
- Lafayette College is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (2,764 students vs. 2,142 students)
Macalester College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or Lafayette College?
- Macalester College is 5.2% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $61,482.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Macalester College than Lafayette College ($64,678.00 vs. $61,482.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than Macalester College ($34,728 vs. $38,571)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 20.4% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($15,477 vs. $18,640)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Lafayette College (88% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 9.4% larger than aid received Macalester College ($44,126 vs. $40,329)
Macalester College vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Macalester College or Lafayette College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lafayette College or Macalester College .
- The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 64 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
- Incoming Macalester College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Lafayette College (29)
- Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
- Lafayette College has a higher acceptance rate (31.5%) than Macalester College (28.2%)
Macalester College vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Macalester College or Lafayette 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 Lafayette College and Macalester College.
- The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Macalester College (88% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $26,900 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $54,100)
- Macalester College students graduate with a $3,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($22,670 vs. $26,000)
- Macalester College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($234 vs. $268)
- More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Macalester College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 89%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/