Middlebury College vs Carleton College
Middlebury College and Carleton College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Middlebury, located in Vermont, boasts a lower acceptance rate (15.6%) compared to Carleton's (22.6%) in Minnesota. While Middlebury's student body is slightly larger, both colleges share a commitment to small class sizes and personalized attention. Carleton's student body is more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students and students of color. In terms of academics, Middlebury offers a wider range of majors, including popular choices like economics, political science, and environmental studies, while Carleton is known for its strengths in the natural sciences and social sciences. Both colleges boast impressive graduation rates, with Middlebury's at 94% and Carleton's at 93%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and find the college that best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
|
![]() Carleton College |
![]() Middlebury College |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Northfield, Minnesota | Middlebury, Vermont |
Campus setting | Town: Distant | Town: Distant |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Trimester | 4-1-4 |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 95.0% | 94.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 17.5% | 13.4% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$65
Graduate:
$75
|
|
SAT range | 1408 - 1550 | 1380 - 1530 |
ACT range | 31 - 35 | 32 - 34 |
Students submitting SAT score | 35.0% | 31.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 34.0% | 23.0% |
Total number of applicants | 7,915 | 11,906 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,389 | 1,601 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 555 | 680 |
Yield rate | 40.0% | 42.5% |
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 | Not required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $78,315 | $78,820 |
Average net price | $31,718 | $26,958 |
Tuition | $59,850 | $59,330 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,115
Meal plan:
$7,260
|
Room/dormitory:
$9,600
Meal plan:
$7,450
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
65.0%
Average amount $45,715 |
52.0%
Average amount $49,988 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
45.0%
Average amount $3,914 |
25.0%
Average amount $4,384 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $14,334 |
10.0%
Average amount $7,858 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
2,044
Men 48.7% Women 51.3% |
2,858
Men 46.4% Women 53.6% |
Graduate students | N/A |
79
Men 8.9% Women 91.1% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Low
|
Out-of-state students | 81.5% | 94.7% |
International students | 10.2% | 12.3% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | Town: Distant |
Dormitory capacity | 1,854 | 2,891 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Minnesota California Illinois New York Texas | New York Mississippi California Connecticut Vermont |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 8:1 | 9:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | New England Commission on Higher Education |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 91.4% | 91.2% |
Dropout rate | 8.3% | 1.7% |
Transferred out | N/A | 7.1% |
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)
|
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
International Relations and National Security Studies (Master's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
International Business (Master's Degrees)
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services (Master's Degrees)
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language (Master's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.































































































































































































































































































