Macalester College vs. Oberlin

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

Macalester College Oberlin
Location Saint Paul, MN Oberlin, OH
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 2,175 2,992
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #148
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu oberlin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College Oberlin
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $61,106
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $61,106
Room & Board $14,000 $18,390
Avg Net Price $36,095 $46,462
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $35,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 98%

Admission

Macalester College Oberlin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 11,066
Admitted 2,397 3,859
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 34.9%
Enrolled % 23% 22.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 30/34 30/33
SAT Range 1340/1500 1360/1530
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 Oberlin
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 (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Macalester College Oberlin
Graduation Rate 87% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $26,579
Median Loan Payment $234 $274

Diversity

Macalester College Oberlin
% Men 42% 41%
% Women 58% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 68%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 14% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Macalester College Oberlin
% In-State 18% 6%
% Out-of-State 69% 84%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Oberlin College is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (2,992 students vs. 2,175 students)

Macalester College vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or Oberlin?

  • Macalester College is 1.9% more expensive to attend than Oberlin for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Macalester College than Oberlin College ($62,270.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Macalester College than Oberlin ($36,095 vs. $46,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 31.4% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($14,000 vs. $18,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oberlin College than Macalester College (98% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 14.9% larger than aid received Oberlin College ($40,262 vs. $35,040)

Macalester College vs. Oberlin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 1 points higher than at Oberlin (1357)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at Oberlin (31)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Oberlin (3.67)
  • Oberlin has a higher acceptance rate (34.9%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

Macalester College vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Oberlin is higher than Macalester College (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $10,200 more per year than Oberlin graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $43,900)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $3,909 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($22,670 vs. $26,579)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($234 vs. $274)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oberlin students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 82%)

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