Carleton College
Carleton College is a private liberal arts college in the small river town of Northfield, Minnesota, known for rigorous undergraduate teaching, a distinctive six-week trimester calendar, and an 880-acre arboretum that wraps around campus. It is unusually selective for a school its size — Carleton admitted about 21.8% of nearly 6,800 applicants for its most recent class, which posted middle-50% SAT scores of 1460–1530 and ACT scores of 32–35. With just under 2,000 undergraduates and an 8-to-1 student-faculty ratio, it is among the most science- and math-focused liberal arts colleges in the country, sending a large share of graduates on to PhD programs. Carleton is test-optional, meets 100% of demonstrated financial need, and houses essentially all of its first-year students on campus.
See how Carleton compares
Pick up to two rivals — or search any school.
Carleton admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Decision
Carleton offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~1.7× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized Tests
Carleton is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Carleton's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 30.5% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Carleton does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Carleton weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Carleton's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
Writing your Carleton application essay?
Esslo gives you line-by-line feedback on your Common App and supplemental essays — so your application stands out at Carleton and beyond.
Frequently asked questions about Carleton admissions
Is it hard to get into Carleton College?＋
Yes. Carleton is highly selective, admitting about 21.8% of applicants in the most recent cycle — roughly 1,480 offers out of nearly 6,800 applications, with about 518 students enrolling. It is unusually competitive for a school of just under 2,000 undergraduates, and admission turns on academic rigor, essays, recommendations, and personal qualities rather than any single number.
What GPA do you need to get into Carleton College?＋
Carleton does not publish an average GPA — it reports class rank instead. Among enrolled first-years who submitted a rank, about 77% were in the top tenth of their high school class and 94% in the top quarter. There is no hard cutoff, but rigor of your course load, class rank, and academic GPA are each weighed as very important factors in the review.
Is the SAT or ACT required at Carleton, and is a 1490 good enough?＋
No, Carleton is test-optional, so you can apply without scores. If you do submit, a 1490 sits squarely inside the competitive range: the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1460–1530 on the SAT (32–35 ACT), with the 75th percentile at 1530. Scores are only 'considered' in the review, so a strong application can stand on the rest of the file.
What is Carleton's Early Decision acceptance rate?＋
Carleton offers binding Early Decision I and II, and applying early improves your odds. The two ED rounds together drew 760 applications and admitted 263 students — an early admit rate of roughly 35%, well above the 21.8% overall rate. Early Decision is binding, so apply this way only if Carleton is your clear first choice.
Does the application essay matter at Carleton College?＋
Yes — a lot. Carleton rates the application essay as a very important factor, the same top tier it gives to academic rigor, GPA, recommendations, extracurriculars, and personal character. With admission this holistic and competitive, the essay is one of the clearest places a strong applicant can stand out, so it is worth revising carefully.
How much does Carleton College cost, and does it meet full financial need?＋
Tuition and required fees are about $75,672 per year, with on-campus food and housing adding roughly $19,314. Carleton meets 100% of demonstrated financial need: about 57% of first-years receive need-based scholarship or grant aid, with an average need-based package near $72,667, which substantially lowers the price many families actually pay.
What are the most popular majors at Carleton College?＋
Carleton leans strongly quantitative. Computer and information sciences is the single largest field at about 17% of degrees, and math and computer science together with the physical and biological sciences make up well over half of all majors. The social sciences and a broad slate of humanities programs round out the curriculum.
Can you get into Carleton from out of state?＋
Absolutely — Carleton draws nationally, and about 79% of its students come from outside Minnesota. State residency is not an admission factor (geographical residence is only lightly considered), so where you live does not meaningfully help or hurt your odds; admission rests on academics, essays, recommendations, and personal qualities for in-state and out-of-state applicants alike.
Source: Carleton College Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-08. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Carleton. Banner photo by Dogs1337, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).