Wellesley vs. Macalester College

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

Wellesley Macalester College
Location Wellesley, MA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,447 2,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #97
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wellesley.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wellesley Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $61,584 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $61,584 $62,270
Room & Board $19,080 $14,000
Avg Net Price $21,362 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $61,328 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 89%

Admission

Wellesley Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,491 8,434
Admitted 1,152 2,397
Acceptance Rate 13.6% 28.4%
Enrolled % 50.8% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1430/1550 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 8, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Wellesley Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Wellesley Macalester College
Graduation Rate 92% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,100 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,900 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $92 $234

Diversity

Wellesley Macalester College
% Men 1% 42%
% Women 99% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 40% 66%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 12% 14%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Wellesley Macalester College
% In-State 11% 18%
% Out-of-State 73% 69%

Campus

Wellesley Macalester 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

  • Wellesley College is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (2,447 students vs. 2,175 students)

Wellesley vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wellesley or Macalester College?

  • Macalester College is 1.1% more expensive to attend than Wellesley for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.1% higher at Macalester College than Wellesley College ($62,270.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Macalester College ($21,362 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 36.3% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($14,000 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Wellesley College (89% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 52.3% larger than aid received Macalester College ($61,328 vs. $40,262)

Wellesley vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wellesley College (1369) is 11 points higher than at Macalester College (1358)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman Wellesley students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Wellesley (13.6%)

Wellesley vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wellesley 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 Wellesley.

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than Macalester College (92% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Wellesley College earn on average $14,000 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($68,100 vs. $54,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $13,770 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($8,900 vs. $22,670)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $142 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($92 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wellesley students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 86%)

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