Dickinson College vs Carleton College
Dickinson College and Carleton College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Dickinson, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, boasts a slightly larger student body and a higher acceptance rate compared to Carleton, nestled in Northfield, Minnesota. While Dickinson excels in popular majors like economics, political science, and history, Carleton is known for its strengths in natural sciences, particularly biology and chemistry. Both colleges foster diverse student communities, with Carleton having a slightly higher percentage of international students. Dickinson's graduation rate slightly edges out Carleton's, but both institutions are committed to providing their students with the tools and support they need to succeed. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these two exceptional colleges and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
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![]() Carleton College |
![]() Dickinson College |
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Overview |
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Location | Northfield, Minnesota | Carlisle, Pennsylvania |
Campus setting | Town: Distant | City: Small |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Trimester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 95.0% | 92.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 17.5% | 48.1% |
Application fees | $65 | |
SAT range | 1408 - 1550 | N/A |
ACT range | 31 - 35 | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | 35.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 34.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 7,915 | 6,366 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,389 | 3,061 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 555 | 677 |
Yield rate | 40.0% | 22.1% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $78,315 | $77,300 |
Average net price | $31,718 | $20,913 |
Tuition | $59,850 | $58,158 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,115
Meal plan:
$7,260
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Room/dormitory:
$7,866
Meal plan:
$7,386
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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 |
92.0%
Average amount $39,555 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
45.0%
Average amount $3,914 |
41.0%
Average amount $3,696 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $14,334 |
16.0%
Average amount $9,232 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,044
Men 48.7% Women 51.3% |
2,180
Men 42.1% Women 57.9% |
Graduate students | N/A |
6
Men 33.3% Women 66.7% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Low
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Out-of-state students | 81.5% | N/A |
International students | 10.2% | 12.3% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | City: Small |
Dormitory capacity | 1,854 | 2,118 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Minnesota California Illinois New York Texas | N/A |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 8:1 | 9:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 91.4% | 82.4% |
Dropout rate | 8.3% | 17.6% |
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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International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
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