Wheaton College vs. Macalester College

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

Wheaton College Macalester College
Location Wheaton, IL Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,885 2,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #97
Religious Affiliation Undenominational Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $62,270
Room & Board $11,690 $14,000
Avg Net Price $29,961 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 89%

Admission

Wheaton College Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 8,434
Admitted 1,674 2,397
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 28.4%
Enrolled % 30.1% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/33 30/34
SAT Range 1250/1430 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 Aug 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Wheaton College Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Macalester College
Graduation Rate 87% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $232 $234

Diversity

Wheaton College Macalester College
% Men 43% 42%
% Women 57% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 66%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 14%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Wheaton College Macalester College
% In-State 23% 18%
% Out-of-State 70% 69%

Campus

Wheaton College 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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (2,885 students vs. 2,175 students)

Wheaton College vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Macalester College?

  • Macalester College is 48.3% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.3% higher at Macalester College than Wheaton College ($62,270.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Macalester College ($29,961 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 19.8% lower than costs at Macalester College ($11,690 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Macalester College (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 65.9% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($40,262 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 44 points higher than at Wheaton College (1314)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wheaton College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Wheaton College (3.75)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

Wheaton College vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is the same as at Macalester College (87% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $200 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $54,100)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $170 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $22,670)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($232 vs. $234)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Macalester College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 89%)

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