Smith College vs. Carleton College

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

Smith College Carleton College
Location Northampton, MA Northfield, MN
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,830 2,069
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #67 #42
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smith.edu carleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Smith College Carleton College
Tuition (In State) $61,260 $65,043
Tuition (Out of State) $61,260 $65,043
Room & Board $21,310 $16,710
Avg Net Price $27,823 $29,434
Avg Grant Aid $54,311 $51,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 57%

Admission

Smith College Carleton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,869 6,464
Admitted 1,947 1,440
Acceptance Rate 19.7% 22.3%
Enrolled % 33.3% 37.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.9
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/34 32/34
SAT Range 1408/1540 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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Smith College Carleton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Smith College Carleton College
Graduation Rate 85% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $65,600
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $201

Diversity

Smith College Carleton College
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 10% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 63%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 10%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

Smith College Carleton College
% In-State 15% 21%
% Out-of-State 74% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Smith College is larger than than Carleton College based on total student enrollment (2,830 students vs. 2,069 students)

Smith College vs. Carleton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Smith College or Carleton College?

  • Carleton College is 6.2% more expensive to attend than Smith College for in-state tuition ($65,043.00 vs. $61,260.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.2% higher at Carleton College than Smith College ($65,043.00 vs. $61,260.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Smith College than Carleton College ($27,823 vs. $29,434)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carleton College are 27.5% lower than costs at Smith College ($16,710 vs. $21,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Smith College than Carleton College (68% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Smith College students is 4.6% larger than aid received Carleton College ($54,311 vs. $51,916)

Smith College vs. Carleton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Smith College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Carleton College (3.9)
  • Carleton College has a higher acceptance rate (22.3%) than Smith College (19.7%)

Smith College vs. Carleton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Smith College 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 Smith College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Smith College (93% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $16,700 more per year than Smith College graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $48,900)
  • Smith College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Carleton College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,500)
  • Smith College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Carleton College graduates. ($196 vs. $201)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Smith College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 80%)

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