Carleton vs Oberlin
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MNCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 4%ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OHCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 7%
At a glance
- Carleton has the higher graduation rate: 90% against 81% at Oberlin.
- For families earning $48,001 to $75,000, Carleton has the lower price after aid: $9,680 a year, against $22,123 at Oberlin.
- Carleton has the lower average price after aid: $25,407 a year, against $38,645 at Oberlin.
Scores
Compass Score
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 4%
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 7%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
AAcademic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 5%
Value
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 20%
C+Value: Solid (grade C+): the rest of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.
The college
Category
Liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges
Location
Northfield, MN
Oberlin, OH
Setting
Town
Town
Students
2,069
2,976
Sports
NCAA Division III · Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA Division III · North Coast Athletic Conference
Admission
Admission rate
20%
34%
Average SAT
1517
1447
ACT middle 50%
32–34
31–34
Outcomes
Graduation rate
90%
81%
First-year retention
96%
91%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$75,525
$58,343
Median debt
$16,750
$26,000
Cost
Average price after aid
$25,407
$38,645
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$7,881
$18,774
$30,001–$48,000
$8,203
$15,799
$48,001–$75,000
$9,680
$22,123
$75,001–$110,000
$18,485
$29,207
Over $110,000
$44,082
$48,731
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Economics $87,193
- Political science $53,975
- Computing and information science $129,395
- Economics $87,120
- Political science $70,689
- History $60,895
- Area studies $55,151
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.