Liberal arts college
#1 Best colleges in MinnesotaCarleton College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $25,407 a year
Median debt at graduation: $16,750 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges in America#61 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#52 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#55 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#54 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#54 of 1,283
- Best colleges for art and design in America#52 of 1,187
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- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#31 of 704
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#81 of 1,829
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#31 of 690
- Best colleges for history in America#57 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#57 of 1,215
- Best mid-size colleges in America#32 of 667
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#57 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#53 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#57 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#43 of 750
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#27 of 430
- Best colleges for economics in America#57 of 788
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#58 of 704
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#61 of 693
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#69 of 682
- Most selective colleges in America#71 of 683
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#88 of 684
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in America#27 of 177
- Best value colleges in America#117 of 674
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#149 of 598
In Minnesota
- Best colleges in Minnesota#1 of 40
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Minnesota#1 of 40
- Best test-optional colleges in Minnesota#1 of 35
- Best colleges for psychology in Minnesota#1 of 32
- Best colleges for art and design in Minnesota#1 of 30
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Minnesota#1 of 30
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- Best colleges for English in Minnesota#1 of 30
- Best colleges for history in Minnesota#1 of 28
- Best colleges for mathematics in Minnesota#1 of 27
- Best colleges for music in Minnesota#1 of 27
- Best colleges for chemistry in Minnesota#1 of 26
- Best colleges for computer science in Minnesota#1 of 24
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Minnesota#1 of 23
- Best colleges for economics in Minnesota#1 of 21
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Minnesota#1 of 19
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Minnesota#1 of 19
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Minnesota#1 of 19
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Minnesota#1 of 19
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Minnesota#1 of 19
- Most selective colleges in Minnesota#1 of 19
- Best mid-size colleges in Minnesota#1 of 18
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Minnesota#2 of 19
- Best value colleges in Minnesota#3 of 19
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in Minnesota#3 of 19
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Minnesota#3 of 19
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Minnesota#3 of 17
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Minnesota#5 of 19
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.90%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.96%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,517 · ACT 33
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.8 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$40,626
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $84,893 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,069 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 50% · Women 50% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 16% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 76% |
| Total students | 2,069 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $25,407 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $84,893 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $16,750 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 90% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 92% |
| First-year retention | 96% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $75,525 |
| Admission rate | 20% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $905 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 17% |
| Average SAT | 1517 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 720–770 |
| SAT math | 730–790 |
| ACT composite | 32–34 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Excellent · Top 20% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Economics | |
| Political science |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Archeology, Area studies, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Cognitive Science, Computer science, Dance, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, English, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Film and video, Fine arts, Geology and earth science, German, History, International relations, Linguistics, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Other social sciences, Other transportation and materials moving, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Religious studies, Romance languages, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Sociology and Anthropology, Statistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Physical sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,586 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 11%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 87%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $571,965IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 89% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)About 29 miles away · about 50 minutes by car |
| Town population | 20,742Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | St. PaulAbout 34 miles away · about 1 hour by car |
| Typical weather | 14°F in January · 71°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Faribault, MN, about 12 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1.88 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.47 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Carleton College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 4% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Carleton College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $25,407 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Carleton College?
- Carleton College admitted 20% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Carleton College’s graduates do?
- 90% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $75,525; the median federal debt at graduation is $16,750.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 173258
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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