Macalester College vs. St Olaf

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Carleton College Grinnell Oberlin Kenyon Lawrence University of St Thomas Oxy Minnesota Reed Case Western Whitman College Denison
Macalester College vs. St Olaf College comparison
Macalester College St Olaf College College 3 College 4
Macalester College St Olaf College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Macalester College St Olaf
Location Saint Paul, MN Northfield, MN
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,175 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #156
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $54,650
Room & Board $14,000 $12,450
Avg Net Price $36,095 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 99%

Admission

Macalester College St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 5,524
Admitted 2,397 3,116
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 56.4%
Enrolled % 23% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 30/34 28/33
SAT Range 1340/1500 1300/1480
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 St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Macalester College St Olaf
Graduation Rate 87% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $279

Diversity

Macalester College St Olaf
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 75%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 14% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Macalester College St Olaf
% In-State 18% 47%
% Out-of-State 69% 43%

Campus

Macalester College St Olaf
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

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 2,175 students)

Macalester College vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or St Olaf?

  • Macalester College is 13.9% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.9% higher at Macalester College than St Olaf College ($62,270.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Macalester College ($26,171 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 12.4% lower than costs at Macalester College ($12,450 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Macalester College (99% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 0.3% larger than aid received Macalester College ($40,399 vs. $40,262)

Macalester College vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 76 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at St Olaf (29)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (56.4%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

Macalester College vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Macalester College or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf and Macalester College.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than St Olaf College (87% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $400 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $53,700)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $4,330 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($22,670 vs. $27,000)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($234 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf 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/