Macalester College vs. Lafayette College

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

Macalester College Lafayette College
Location Saint Paul, MN Easton, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,175 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #65
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $58,110
Room & Board $14,000 $17,336
Avg Net Price $36,095 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 98%

Admission

Macalester College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 10,500
Admitted 2,397 3,531
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 33.6%
Enrolled % 23% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 30/34 30/33
SAT Range 1340/1500 1330/1480
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 15, 2025

Academics

Macalester College Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

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 42% 50%
% Women 58% 50%
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% 16%
% Out-of-State 69% 76%

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 (2,729 students vs. 2,175 students)

Macalester College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

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

  • Macalester College is 7.2% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at Macalester College than Lafayette College ($62,270.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Macalester College than Lafayette College ($36,095 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 23.8% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($14,000 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Macalester College (98% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 61.2% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($40,262 vs. $24,981)

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 (33.6%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

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/