Carleton College vs Hillsdale College

Carleton College and Hillsdale College, two esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Carleton, known for its rigorous academics and progressive values, boasts a 14% acceptance rate and a diverse student body. Its popular majors include political science, economics, and biology, and it excels in preparing students for graduate studies. Hillsdale, on the other hand, prides itself on its classical curriculum and conservative ethos. With a 45% acceptance rate, it attracts students seeking a traditional liberal arts education. Popular majors include economics, history, and English, and Hillsdale is renowned for its strong pre-professional programs. Both colleges offer excellent graduation rates, ensuring that students are well-equipped for their future endeavors. Explore the comparison table to discover more about these exceptional institutions and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal values.

	Carleton College	Hillsdale College
Overview
Location	Northfield, Minnesota	Hillsdale, Michigan
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Distant
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%	94.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation		Undenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	17.5%	23.7%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $35 Graduate: $25
SAT range	1408 - 1550	1340 - 1510
ACT range	31 - 35	30 - 34
Students submitting SAT score	35.0%	22.0%
Students submitting ACT score	34.0%	38.0%
Total number of applicants	7,915	2,994
Total number of admissions given out	1,389	709
Admitted students who chose to enroll	555	397
Yield rate	40.0%	56.0%
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	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$78,315	$45,382
Average net price	$31,718	$24,057
Tuition	$59,850	$28,730
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,115 Meal plan: $7,260	Room/dormitory: $6,020 Meal plan: $6,120
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	65.0% Average amount $45,715	100.0% Average amount $20,535
Students receiving federal student loan	45.0% Average amount $3,914	0.0% Average amount $0
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $14,334	34.0% Average amount $10,497

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,044 Men 48.7% Women 51.3%	1,515 Men 50.6% Women 49.4%
Graduate students	N/A	87 Men 67.8% Women 32.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	N/A
Out-of-state students	81.5%	N/A
International students	10.2%	N/A
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	1,854	1,124
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

Academics
Popular study areas	Physical Science Social Sciences Ethnic Studies Mathematics and Statistics Visual & Performing Arts	Business Social Sciences Biological and Biomedical Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	8:1	8:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	91.4%	87.6%
Dropout rate	8.3%	8.3%
Transferred out	N/A	3.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $76,876 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $101,936 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,032 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $66,207 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,526 Year 2: $23,034 Year 3: $30,071 Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,669 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,425 Year 2: $22,329 Year 3: N/A Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,952 Year 2: $37,568 Year 3: N/A Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,227 Year 2: $36,141 Year 3: N/A Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,625 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Physics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $42,774 Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,301 Year 2: $33,719 Year 3: N/A	N/A

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Carleton College vs Hillsdale College

Carleton College

Hillsdale College

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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