MHC vs. Carleton College

Should I go to Mount Holyoke College or Carleton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MHC or Carleton College 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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Mount Holyoke College vs. Carleton College comparison
Mount Holyoke College Carleton College College 3 College 4
Mount Holyoke College Carleton College
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Overview

MHC Carleton College
Location South Hadley, MA Northfield, MN
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,392 2,059
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #85 #39
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtholyoke.edu carleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MHC Carleton College
Tuition (In State) $58,280 $62,244
Tuition (Out of State) $58,280 $62,244
Room & Board $17,180 $15,990
Avg Net Price $35,765 $31,494
Avg Grant Aid $39,304 $46,821
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 60%

Admission

MHC Carleton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,894 8,583
Admitted 1,946 1,427
Acceptance Rate 39.8% 16.6%
Enrolled % 28% 37.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/34 32/35
SAT Range 1350/1540 1430/1550
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

MHC Carleton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

MHC Carleton College
Graduation Rate 85% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $65,600
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,206 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $201

Diversity

MHC Carleton College
% Men 1% 50%
% Women 99% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 63%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 26% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

MHC Carleton College
% In-State 16% 17%
% Out-of-State 60% 73%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Holyoke College is larger than than Carleton College based on total student enrollment (2,392 students vs. 2,059 students)

MHC vs. Carleton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MHC or Carleton College?

  • Carleton College is 6.8% more expensive to attend than MHC for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $58,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.8% higher at Carleton College than Mount Holyoke College ($62,244.00 vs. $58,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than MHC ($31,494 vs. $35,765)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carleton College are 7.4% lower than costs at Mount Holyoke College ($15,990 vs. $17,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than Carleton College (80% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 19.1% larger than aid received Mount Holyoke College ($46,821 vs. $39,304)

MHC vs. Carleton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at MHC (3.87)
  • MHC has a higher acceptance rate (39.8%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

MHC vs. Carleton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MHC or Carleton College? 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 Carleton College and MHC.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Mount Holyoke College (93% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $15,600 more per year than MHC graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $50,000)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $1,706 lower median federal student loan debt than MHC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,206)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than MHC graduates. ($201 vs. $219)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MHC students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 77%)

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