Can you get into Carleton College?
Northfield, MN · Private · 2,086 students Here is the class that got in, and where your numbers land inside it.
Add your GPA, or a test score, and the read appears here. Nothing you type leaves this page.
The admitted class · 2024
What it took to get in
Acceptance rate
20.4%
SAT middle 50%
1450–1560
median 1479
ACT middle 50%
32–34
median 33
Testing
optional
37% submitted an SAT
Graduation rate
90%
within six years
Reported by the college
What Carleton College actually reads
Colleges publish which parts of an application they weigh. It is the most useful thing they say about admissions and almost nobody reads it, because knowing that an essay is very important here and class rank is not considered changes where the work should go.
Very important
The parts of an application this school weighs most heavily.
- Course rigor
- Essay
- Recommendations
Considered
Looked at, but not decisive on its own.
- Grades
- Class rank
- Test scores
- Legacy
- Work experience
From the federal IPEDS admissions survey, 2024. It records whether Carleton College considers each factor, but not how heavily, and it does not ask about extracurriculars, character, or demonstrated interest. Where a school publishes its Common Data Set we use that instead.
Real cost · 2024 data
What families actually pay
The sticker price is $84,893, but almost nobody pays it. Average net price at Carleton College by family income, after grants and scholarships:
- Under $30k$7,881
- $30k–$48k$8,203
- $48k–$75k$9,680
- $75k–$110k$18,485
- Over $110k$44,082
U.S. Department of Education data: average net price per year for aided first-time students. Your number depends on your family’s finances.
Keep going
More on Carleton College
Harder to get into
About as selective
Common questions
Carleton College admissions, answered
What is Carleton College's acceptance rate?
Carleton College admits 20.4% of applicants (latest reported cycle: 2024).
What SAT score do you need for Carleton College?
The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1450 and 1560. A score above 1560 clears the 75th percentile; below 1450, the rest of the application has to carry more weight.
Is Carleton College test-optional?
Yes, Carleton College is currently test-optional. Submit a score if it falls inside or above the admitted middle 50%.
What does Carleton College look for in an application?
Carleton College reports that it weighs course rigor, essay, recommendations most heavily. Anything it lists as not considered is worth knowing too, because effort spent there does not count here.
How much does Carleton College actually cost?
Sticker price is $84,893, but the average family pays $25,407 after aid. Families earning under $30k pay about $7,881 per year on average.
What Spike does with this
Use the Carleton College read in your plan.
Spike helps connect your numbers with courses, testing, essays, activities, and the rest of your college list.
One email when Spike opens. No card, no account. About the waitlist.