Macalester College vs. MCAD

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

 Macalester College MCAD
Location Saint Paul, MN Minneapolis, MN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 2,175 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Macalester College MCAD
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $42,110
Room & Board $14,000 $7,290
Avg Net Price $36,095 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 100%

Admission

 Macalester College MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 668
Admitted 2,397 380
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 56.9%
Enrolled % 23% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 30/34 19/27
SAT Range 1340/1500 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Macalester College MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Macalester College MCAD
Graduation Rate 87% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $234 $266

Diversity

 Macalester College MCAD
% Men 42% 31%
% Women 58% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 59%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 14% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 16%

Students

 Macalester College MCAD
% In-State 18% 61%
% Out-of-State 69% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Macalester College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (2,175 students vs. 821 students)

Macalester College vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or MCAD?

  • Macalester College is 47.9% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.9% higher at Macalester College than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($62,270.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Macalester College ($28,443 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 92% lower than costs at Macalester College ($7,290 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Macalester College (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 54.7% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($40,262 vs. $26,025)

Macalester College vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 262 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • MCAD has a higher acceptance rate (56.9%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

Macalester College vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (87% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $12,600 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $41,500)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $3,080 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($22,670 vs. $25,750)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($234 vs. $266)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 74%)

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