Carleton College vs Trinity College

Carleton College and Trinity College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Carleton, located in Northfield, Minnesota, boasts a lower acceptance rate (22.5%) compared to Trinity's (33.4%) in Hartford, Connecticut. Carleton's student body is slightly larger, with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,100 students, while Trinity's is 2,500. Both colleges offer a diverse range of majors, with popular choices at Carleton including economics, biology, and political science, while Trinity students often pursue majors in economics, psychology, and English. Carleton's graduation rate stands at 89%, while Trinity's is 88%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two excellent institutions. Dive in to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Carleton College logo

Carleton College

Trinity College logo

Trinity College

Overview

Location Northfield, Minnesota Hartford, Connecticut
Campus setting Town: Distant City: Midsize
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% 91.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 17.5% 37.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1408 - 1550 1333 - 1480
ACT range 31 - 35 29 - 33
Students submitting SAT score 35.0% 11.0%
Students submitting ACT score 34.0% 5.0%
Total number of applicants 7,915 5,603
Total number of admissions given out 1,389 2,115
Admitted students who chose to enroll 555 523
Yield rate 40.0% 24.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,315 $79,770
Average net price $31,718 $29,789
Tuition $59,850 $58,610
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,115

Meal plan: $7,260
Room/dormitory: $10,350

Meal plan: $5,550
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

65.0%
Average amount $45,715
66.0%
Average amount $46,858
Students receiving federal student loan 45.0%
Average amount $3,914
48.0%
Average amount $4,756
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $14,334
7.0%
Average amount $15,135

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,044
Men 48.7% Women 51.3%
2,159
Men 50.8% Women 49.2%
Graduate students N/A 31
Men 74.2% Women 25.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 81.5% 82.8%
International students 10.2% 12.6%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,854 1,999
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 Mississippi Connecticut New York New Jersey Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Physical Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 91.4% 85.2%
Dropout rate 8.3% 6.1%
Transferred out N/A 8.8%
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
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,856
  • Year 2: $42,235
  • Year 3: $63,453
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,115
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Area Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,827
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,750
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,078
  • Year 2: $43,128
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,376
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,188
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,657
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,400
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: N/A
Public Policy Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,564
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: N/A

Compare Similar Colleges

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