Carleton College vs. St Olaf College Overview
You’re wrestling with a tough question: “Should I go to Carleton College or St Olaf College?“
Carleton College
St Olaf College
Can you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesCan you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesThis complete guide analyzes both the quantitative and qualitative differences between Carleton College and St Olaf College. This comparison is particularly valuable at understanding the cultural nuances between the colleges since it uses student videos to capture the “vibes” of campus - these videos are exclusively available on CampusReel :)
Differences between Carleton College and St Olaf College
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s go through a general overview of the high-level differences between Carleton College and St Olaf College. The table below summarizes some of the most important statistics around competitiveness, costs, etc.
| Carleton College | St Olaf College | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state Tuition | $49,263 | $42,940 |
| Net Price | $28,892 | $23,452 |
| Average Financial Aid | $36,449 | $26,922 |
| Total Undergraduates | 1995 | 3005 |
| Average SAT Scores | 1320 - 1520 | 1140 - 1410 |
| Acceptance Rate | 21 | 36 |
| Location | One North College Street | 1520 St Olaf Ave |
| City Name | Northfield | Northfield |
WARNINGS: Based on net price alone, St Olaf College is the cheaper option. However, this sticker price may not adequately represent the difference in living costs between Northfield and Northfield. Carleton College is in a West North Central and St Olaf College is in a West North Central - sometimes off campus meals and housing costs can dramatically vary between schools
Is Carleton College or St Olaf College Harder to get into? Which school is easier to get into?
If you’re looking at acceptance rate alone, then Carleton College is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.
Therefore, the acceptance rate alone is not a good indicator that Carleton College is a better school or will be more difficult for you specifically to get into. On the flipside, St Olaf College is easier to get into based on acceptance rate alone.
You can use the below college admissions predictor to determine your likelihood of acceptance at either school.
How Do Carleton College Dorms Compare to housing Options at St Olaf College?
Both colleges provide on-campus living options. Carleton College charges for on-campus living, while St Olaf College charges N/A for on-campus living. Most importantly, though, check out the video below for a sample of dorm tours at each school.
Carleton College and St Olaf College student body differences
The table below helps demonstrate the student body differences as well.
| Carleton College, % | St Olaf College,% | |
|---|---|---|
| White | 63.36000000000001 | 74.53999999999999 |
| Hispanic | 7.02 | 5.12 |
| Black | 3.7600000000000002 | 2.03 |
| Foreign | 10.43 | 7.489999999999999 |
| Others | 15.4 | 10.8 |
How different is the Carleton College campus compared to St Olaf College campus?
The Carleton College campus is located in Northfield, MN and is characterized as Town: Distant (in urban cluster more than 10 miles and up to 35 miles from an urbanized area). The St Olaf College campus is located in Northfield, MN and is characterized as Town: Distant (in urban cluster more than 10 miles and up to 35 miles from an urbanized area).
Which school gives more financial aid?
Carleton College provides $36,449 whereas St Olaf College provides an average of $26,922.
How does Carleton College academics compare to St Olaf College?
When analyzing academics between Carleton College and St Olaf College we’ll look at both what current students are studying and also where they end up after graduation. After all, college should prepare you for a career! Analyzing each school’s outcomes is super valuable to understand the value of the degree.
| Majors | Carleton College | St Olaf College |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture agriculture operations and related sciences | N/A | N/A |
| Natural resources and conservation | 11 | 32 |
| Architecture and related services | N/A | N/A |
| Area ethnic cultural gender and group studies | 17 | 19 |
| Communication journalism and related programs | N/A | N/A |
| Computer and information sciences and support services | 63 | 15 |
| Communications technologies technicians and support services | N/A | N/A |
| Personal and culinary services | N/A | N/A |
| Engineering | N/A | N/A |
| Education | N/A | 9 |
| Engineering technologies and engineering related fields | N/A | N/A |
Which is better: Carleton College or St Olaf College?
We’ve compared dorm life, costs, outcomes and more to provide the most complete comparison between Carleton College and St Olaf College. But, you’re smart enough to know that numbers paint a terrible picture for truly understanding what each college and community is like. And, the real answer to which school is better is: the school that’s right for you. No matter who you ask, if they know what they’re talking about, the answer is the same: the “better” school is whatever is the best fit for you personally. That’s why it’s extremely important to check out all the videos on CampusReel for each school.
How does Carleton College social life compare to St Olaf College?
It’s tough to understand the nuances of social life with data alone. That’s why we’ve brought in real student videos to show how Carleton College social life differs from St Olaf College.
Check here.
Check here.