Macalester College vs. USD

Should I go to Macalester College or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Macalester College or USD 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 South Dakota comparison
Macalester College University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
Macalester College University of South Dakota
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Overview

Macalester College USD
Location Saint Paul, MN Vermillion, SD
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,142 9,868
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #104 #576
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College USD
Tuition (In State) $64,678 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $64,678 $11,283
Room & Board $15,477 $9,060
Avg Net Price $38,571 $18,466
Avg Grant Aid $40,329 $5,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 81%

Admission

Macalester College USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,099 5,349
Admitted 2,285 5,293
Acceptance Rate 28.2% 99%
Enrolled % 22.7% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33 19/25
SAT Range 1350/1510 1110/1330
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

Academics

Macalester College USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Macalester College USD
Graduation Rate 87% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $258

Diversity

Macalester College USD
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 0% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 85%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 14% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Macalester College USD
% In-State 18% 53%
% Out-of-State 69% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Dakota is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (9,868 students vs. 2,142 students)

Macalester College vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or USD?

  • Macalester College is 732.1% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 473.2% higher at Macalester College than University of South Dakota ($64,678.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Macalester College ($18,466 vs. $38,571)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 70.8% lower than costs at Macalester College ($9,060 vs. $15,477)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than University of South Dakota (88% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 622.7% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($40,329 vs. $5,580)

Macalester College vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 309 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99%) than Macalester College (28.2%)

Macalester College vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than University of South Dakota (87% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $5,900 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $48,200)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $2,330 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($22,670 vs. $25,000)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($234 vs. $258)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 70%)

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