Macalester College vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth

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

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
Location Saint Paul, MN Duluth, MN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 2,142 9,350
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #104 #544
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
Tuition (In State) $64,678 $12,766
Tuition (Out of State) $64,678 $18,210
Room & Board $15,477 $10,206
Avg Net Price $38,571 $19,542
Avg Grant Aid $40,329 $6,833
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 90%

Admission

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,099 9,502
Admitted 2,285 7,768
Acceptance Rate 28.2% 81.8%
Enrolled % 22.7% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33 23/28
SAT Range 1350/1510 1128/1335
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
Graduation Rate 87% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $258

Diversity

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 0% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 86%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 14% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
% In-State 18% 85%
% Out-of-State 69% 14%

Campus

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Minnesota Duluth is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (9,350 students vs. 2,142 students)

Macalester College vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or University of Minnesota-Duluth?

  • Macalester College is 406.6% more expensive to attend than University of Minnesota-Duluth for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $12,766.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 255.2% higher at Macalester College than University of Minnesota Duluth ($64,678.00 vs. $18,210.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Duluth than Macalester College ($19,542 vs. $38,571)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Duluth are 51.6% lower than costs at Macalester College ($10,206 vs. $15,477)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Duluth than Macalester College (90% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 490.2% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Duluth ($40,329 vs. $6,833)

Macalester College vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 249 points higher than at University of Minnesota-Duluth (1109)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (24)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (3.51)
  • University of Minnesota-Duluth has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Macalester College (28.2%)

Macalester College vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Macalester College or University of Minnesota-Duluth? 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 University of Minnesota-Duluth and Macalester College.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than University of Minnesota Duluth (87% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $600 more per year than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $53,500)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $2,330 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($22,670 vs. $25,000)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($234 vs. $258)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Minnesota-Duluth students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 76%)

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