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 2,175 9,675
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #527
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) $62,270 $12,638
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $18,028
Room & Board $14,000 $9,638
Avg Net Price $36,095 $18,031
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $7,345
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 84%

Admission

Macalester College University of Minnesota-Duluth
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 9,512
Admitted 2,397 7,676
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 80.7%
Enrolled % 23% 25.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/34 22/28
SAT Range 1340/1500 1120/1350
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 Aug 1, 2025

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 42% 50%
% Women 58% 50%
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% 84%
% Out-of-State 69% 16%

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 (9,675 students vs. 2,175 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 392.7% more expensive to attend than University of Minnesota-Duluth for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $12,638.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 245.4% higher at Macalester College than University of Minnesota Duluth ($62,270.00 vs. $18,028.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Duluth than Macalester College ($18,031 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Duluth are 45.3% lower than costs at Macalester College ($9,638 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than University of Minnesota Duluth (89% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 448.2% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Duluth ($40,262 vs. $7,345)

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 (80.7%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

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/