Carleton College vs Dartmouth
Carleton College and Dartmouth College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Carleton, a small, residential college in Northfield, Minnesota, boasts a tight-knit community and a focus on undergraduate teaching. Dartmouth, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, is an Ivy League university with a larger student body and a wider range of academic programs. With Carleton's acceptance rate hovering around 15% and Dartmouth's at 8%, both institutions are highly selective. While Carleton students predominantly pursue majors in the humanities and social sciences, Dartmouth students have a broader range of options, including engineering and business. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these two exceptional institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your college decision.
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![]() Carleton College |
![]() Dartmouth College |
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Overview |
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Location | Northfield, Minnesota | Hanover, New Hampshire |
Campus setting | Town: Distant | Town: Remote |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Trimester | Quarter |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 95.0% | 98.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 17.5% | 6.2% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$80
Graduate:
$50
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SAT range | 1408 - 1550 | 1440 - 1560 |
ACT range | 31 - 35 | 33 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 35.0% | 47.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 34.0% | 30.0% |
Total number of applicants | 7,915 | 28,356 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,389 | 1,750 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 555 | 1,221 |
Yield rate | 40.0% | 69.8% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $78,315 | $81,501 |
Average net price | $31,718 | $24,078 |
Tuition | $59,850 | $58,953 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,115
Meal plan:
$7,260
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Room/dormitory:
$10,569
Meal plan:
$6,792
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
65.0%
Average amount $45,715 |
48.0%
Average amount $56,106 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
45.0%
Average amount $3,914 |
20.0%
Average amount $5,066 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $14,334 |
37.0%
Average amount $5,335 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,044
Men 48.7% Women 51.3% |
4,556
Men 50.7% Women 49.3% |
Graduate students | N/A |
2,205
Men 50.4% Women 49.6% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | 81.5% | 97.3% |
International students | 10.2% | 17.0% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | Town: Remote |
Dormitory capacity | 1,854 | 3,733 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Minnesota California Illinois New York Texas | California New York Mississippi New Jersey Texas |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 8:1 | 7:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | New England Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 91.4% | 93.6% |
Dropout rate | 8.3% | 4.9% |
Transferred out | N/A | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
Physics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Public Health (First Professional Degrees)
Engineering Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
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