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Carleton College

Name: Campus Tour
Start: 2026-04-17T14:00:00
Location: Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota 55057

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Campus Vibe

College townGreek life

Highly selective — strong graduate outcomes

Carleton College is a private institution in Northfield with particular strength in computer science and biology. With an average SAT of 1491, the school attracts a competitive applicant pool.

A mid-sized campus of 2K undergraduates with a 8:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

91% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $75,525 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $27,320.

Established

1866

Motto

Declaratio Sermonum Tuorum Illuminat

Type

Private liberal arts college

Conference

NCAA Division III ranks

Division

Division III

Campus Visits

114 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Apr 13 · Campus Tour

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22%Acceptance

1491SAT Avg

2,019Students

8:1Student:Faculty

91%Grad Rate

$75,525Earnings 10yr

$27,320Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

Carleton College Launches New Data Science Minor

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tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

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Admissions

Acceptance Rate22.3%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1491

Reading & WritingMid: 729

710760

MathMid: 750

720790

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 33

3234

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

22.3%

Trend

SAT Avg

1491

Yield Rate

35.0%

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Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$65,457

Room & Board$16,710

Books & Supplies$938

Total Cost of Attendance$81,350

Average Net Price$27,320

Median Debt at Graduation$16,750

Monthly Payment (10yr)$178

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$12,069

$30–48K$11,350

$48–75K$10,999

$75–110K$17,900

$110K+$41,028

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$27,320

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

5700.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$15,960

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Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

Peer Average

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus police, emergency alert system, blue-light phones

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Programs (36)

Student Life

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Student Body

Undergrads

2,019

Gender Split

51% / 49%

Women / Men

First Generation

16%

Pell Grant Recipients

14%

Race & Ethnicity

White 52%

Black 7%

Hispanic 10%

Asian 10%

Two+ 9%

Int'l 10%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate91.2%

Freshman Retention95.9%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$53,989

8 Years$70,720

10 Years$75,525

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$57,900

Men

$77,300

Rankings

U.S. News

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Forbes

#172

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Wall Street Journal

#29

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Washington Monthly

#19

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More About This School

Varsity Sports — Knights

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Rankings

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History & Fun Facts

•History The school was founded in 1866, when the Minnesota Conference of Congregational Churches unanimously accepted a resolution to locate a college in Northfield.
•Two Northfield businessmen, Charles Augustus Wheaton and Charles Moorehouse Goodsell, each donated 10 acres (4 ha) of land for the first campus.
•The first students enrolled at the preparatory unit of Northfield College in the fall of 1867.
•In 1870, the first college president, James Strong, traveled to the East Coast to raise funds for the college.
•Impressed by Strong's survival of the accident, Carleton donated $50,000 to the fledgling institution in 1871.

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Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

97Average

Estimated from MN state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Minneapolispop. 430K

36 mi(62 min)

Milwaukeepop. 570K

280 mi(485 min)

Chicagopop. 2.7M

331 mi(574 min)

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Getting There

Nearest Airports

MSP Minneapolis-St Paul29 mi

MKE Milwaukee283 mi

ORD Chicago O'Hare315 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA1115 mi · ~32h 13m drive

New York, NY1005 mi · ~29h 2m drive

Hartford, CT1047 mi · ~30h 15m drive

Providence, RI1108 mi · ~32h 1m drive

Albany, NY977 mi · ~28h 13m drive

Syracuse, NY853 mi · ~24h 39m drive

Rochester, NY779 mi · ~22h 30m drive

Buffalo, NY721 mi · ~20h 50m drive

Philadelphia, PA970 mi · ~28h 1m drive

Pittsburgh, PA725 mi · ~20h 57m drive

Harrisburg, PA878 mi · ~25h 22m drive

Newark, NJ997 mi · ~28h 48m drive

Washington, DC914 mi · ~26h 24m drive

Baltimore, MD921 mi · ~26h 36m drive

Atlanta, GA876 mi · ~25h 18m drive

Charlotte, NC911 mi · ~26h 19m drive

Raleigh, NC971 mi · ~28h 3m drive

Miami, FL1481 mi · ~42h 47m drive

Orlando, FL1277 mi · ~36h 53m drive

Tampa, FL1285 mi · ~37h 7m drive

Nashville, TN664 mi · ~19h 11m drive

New Orleans, LA1017 mi · ~29h 23m drive

Richmond, VA947 mi · ~27h 21m drive

Chicago, IL331 mi · ~9h 34m drive

Detroit, MI528 mi · ~15h 15m drive

Minneapolis, MN36 mi · ~1h 2m drive

St. Louis, MO431 mi · ~12h 27m drive

Kansas City, MO378 mi · ~10h 55m drive

Indianapolis, IN483 mi · ~13h 57m drive

Columbus, OH605 mi · ~17h 29m drive

Cleveland, OH614 mi · ~17h 44m drive

Milwaukee, WI280 mi · ~8h 5m drive

Dallas, TX831 mi · ~24h drive

Houston, TX1023 mi · ~29h 33m drive

Austin, TX1012 mi · ~29h 14m drive

San Antonio, TX1079 mi · ~31h 10m drive

Los Angeles, CA1514 mi · ~43h 44m drive

San Francisco, CA1582 mi · ~45h 42m drive

San Diego, CA1521 mi · ~43h 56m drive

Seattle, WA1408 mi · ~40h 41m drive

Portland, OR1436 mi · ~41h 29m drive

Denver, CO688 mi · ~19h 53m drive

Phoenix, AZ1265 mi · ~36h 33m drive

Salt Lake City, UT984 mi · ~28h 26m drive

Honolulu, HI3967 mi · ~114h 36m drive

Upper Midwest / Northeast (cold winters, warm summers)

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Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Mid-Range

Check nearby accommodations

$80-150/night

< 10 mi

Airport Transit

Minneapolis-St Paul (MSP)29 miles

Rental car

44 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

58 min$35-58

Milwaukee (MKE)283 miles

Rental car

425 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

566 min$340-566

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Schools Like This

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Deadline Calendar

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Carleton College Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

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Official High School Transcript

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School Report + Counselor Recommendation

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Two Teacher Recommendations

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SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

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Carleton College Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

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CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

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Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

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Interview (recommended)Optional

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Decision Notifications

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SAT Range	Avg Award	Note
1400-1600	$25,000	Academic merit scholarship
1200-1399	$15,000	Dean's scholarship
1000-1199	$8,000	Achievement award