Northwestern vs. Macalester College

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

Northwestern Macalester College
Location Evanston, IL Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 23,161 2,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #97
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $62,270
Room & Board $19,440 $14,000
Avg Net Price $22,095 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 89%

Admission

Northwestern Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 8,434
Admitted 3,695 2,397
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 28.4%
Enrolled % 55.2% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1490/1570 1340/1500
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 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Northwestern Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Macalester College
Graduation Rate 94% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $200 $234

Diversity

Northwestern Macalester College
% Men 46% 42%
% Women 54% 58%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 50% 66%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 8% 14%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Northwestern Macalester College
% In-State 22% 18%
% Out-of-State 67% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 2,175 students)

Northwestern vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Macalester College?

  • Northwestern University is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Macalester College for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $62,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Northwestern than Macalester College ($62,391.00 vs. $62,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Macalester College ($22,095 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 38.9% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($14,000 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Northwestern University (89% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 53.3% larger than aid received Macalester College ($61,716 vs. $40,262)

Northwestern vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 102 points higher than at Macalester College (1358)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Macalester College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern or Macalester 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 Macalester College and Northwestern.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Macalester College (94% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $35,700 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $54,100)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $3,292 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($19,378 vs. $22,670)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($200 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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