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Northfield, MN · Saint Peter, MN
| Carleton College | Gustavus Adolphus College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $25,407/yr | $22,900/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,881/yr | $12,015/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $16,750 | $26,774 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $8,203/yr | $10,783/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $9,680/yr | $13,875/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $18,485/yr | $19,015/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $44,082/yr | $29,674/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $178/mo | $284/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $17,586/yr | $11,804/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | No data reported | $11,804/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $938/yr | $900/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $1,788/yr | $1,180/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $84,893/yr | $67,613/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $68,892/yr | $56,076/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $68,892/yr | $56,076/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 17% | 21% |
| Students taking federal loans | 43% | 54% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 20% | 61% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1450–1560 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1517 | 1290 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 32–34 | 24–30 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 34–35 · Math 29–34 | English 22–30 · Math 22–29 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 6,464 | 4,450 |
| Students accepted | 1,440 | 2,750 |
| Students who enrolled | 538 | 499 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 37% | 18% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 30% | 0% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 27% | 39% |
| High-school GPA | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 90% | 77% |
| Freshmen who come back | 96% | 88% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $75,525/yr | $65,607/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $52,327–$111,608 | $48,888–$92,889 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 91% | 75% |
| White students graduating | 88% | 78% |
| Black students graduating | 75% | 71% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 94% | 76% |
| Asian students graduating | 91% | 72% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $53,989/yr | $51,546/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 82% | 86% |
| Graduate on time | 82% | 64% |
| Pell students who graduate | 88% | 73% |
| First-gen students who finish | No data reported | 69% |
| Low-income students who finish | No data reported | 57% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 16% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $70,720/yr | $57,206/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Computer & Information Sciences 18% · Physical Sciences 16% · Social Sciences 15% | Business, Management & Marketing 13% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 11% · Psychology 8% |
| Most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 18% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Physical Sciences — 16% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Social Sciences — 15% of degrees | Psychology — 8% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Mathematics & Statistics — 8% of degrees | Social Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Computer Science — $88,132/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $71,294/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 53% | 25% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 2,086 | 1,878 |
| Students per professor | 8 : 1 | 12 : 1 |
| Graduate students | No data reported | 1 |
| Average professor pay | $13,960/mo | $8,374/mo |
| Full-time professors | 87% | 93% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $78,779 | $78,420 |
| Setting | Town (distant) | Town (fringe) |
| Location | Northfield, MN | Saint Peter, MN |
| Region | Plains | Plains |
| Founded | 1866 | 1862 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus | Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 10% | 5% |
| Men | 50% | 47% |
| Women | 50% | 53% |
| White students | 51% | 79% |
| Black students | 5.9% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 10% | 6.2% |
| Asian students | 10% | 2.4% |
| Two or more races | 8.8% | 4.3% |
| Other / not reported | 3.6% | 0.9% |
| Special type | None | Religiously affiliated |
| First-generation students | 16% | 15% |
| Part-time students | 0% | 1.9% |
| Students age 25+ | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $40,626/yr | $18,862/yr |
| Endowment | $1.3B | $313.2M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 1,840 | 2,125 |
| Required to live on campus | Yes — for first-year students | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $8,820/yr | $6,980/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $7,890/yr | $4,310/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 20 meals/week | 20 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Trimester | Four-one-four plan |
| Religious affiliation | No data reported | Evangelical Lutheran Church |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | No | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | No | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | No | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | No | No |
| Student veteran organization | No | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | Yes |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division III with football | NCAA Division III with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 16 | 19 |
| Student athletes | 398 | 859 |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $3.7M | $6.0M |
| Athletics revenue | $3.7M | $6.0M |
| Recruiting spend | $69,228 | $80,032 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.