Acceptance Rate
29%
Avg. SAT
1510
75th percentile
“Picture bagpipers piping you awake in a globally obsessed liberal arts haven amid the Twin Cities' snowy sophistication, where you'll debate world affairs over coffee on Grand Avenue.”
Saint Paul, MN
Location
Large City
Campus Setting
Macalester College traces its roots to 1855, when Presbyterian missionaries founded it in St. Paul to train frontier leaders, but it quickly pivoted to coeducation in 1876—decades ahead of many peers—and shed its religious ties by the mid-20th century to embrace secular internationalism. You'll find a tight-knit community of 2,200 undergrads who thrive if you're intellectually restless, socially progressive, and drawn to activism; introverted grinders or party seekers might chafe against the constant hum of group projects and volunteer drives. The school's personality pulses with Scottish flair (think kilts and pipes) fused to a hyper-global ethos—22% international students from 100 countries outpace even large universities—set on a leafy 53-acre campus along historic Summit Avenue in safe, underrated St. Paul. Tradeoffs hit hard: Minnesota's brutal -20°F winters demand serious gear, and the $62k tuition stings without massive aid (though 85% get some), but you gain walkable access to urban perks without big-city chaos.
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In Macalester's seminar-style classrooms, where your 10:1 student-faculty ratio means professors like economist Gary Krueger know you by name, you'll dissect international relations or neuroscience through Socratic debates rather than lectures—expect weekly papers and group analyses that sharpen your voice amid peers sharper than at 95% of liberal arts colleges (28% acceptance). Standouts include the international studies program (top-ranked nationally) funneling grads to diplomacy, economics with real-world policy labs, and biology where undergrads co-author papers at rates rivaling R1 schools; over 60% study abroad, often twice. Research abounds via summer fellowships, but tradeoffs loom—no engineering or business majors means you'll pivot elsewhere for those, and the heavy reading load (hello, 300-page theory texts) weeds out the merely bright.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
2,138 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
52%
Black / African American
6%
Hispanic / Latino
11%
Asian
9%
Other / Multi-racial
23%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Saint Paul, MN
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week kicks off with kilted pipers marching at 7:20 a.m., segues to classes and club meetings amid 125 groups (from Queer Union to Tibetan Dance), then evenings volunteering at local shelters or hitting indie shows on Grand Avenue—weekends blend coffee crawls, Ultimate Frisbee, and Twin Cities pro sports via free shuttles. Residential life clusters you in 13 themed halls (French House for crepe breakfasts, Hebrew House for Shabbat dinners), fostering bonds stronger than at spread-out state schools, with 95% living on campus. The vibe skews activist-left (protests over divestment are routine), diverse, and caffeinated, but challenges include social fatigue from constant discourse, limited Greek life (intentionally minimal), and isolation if you're apolitical—plus those endless gray winters push everyone indoors to board games or a cappella Plainsong singalongs.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$11,680
$30K – $48K
$11,010
$48K – $75K
$17,727
$75K – $110K
$23,983
$110K+
$39,494
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
92%
4 Years Graduation Rate
86%
6 Years Graduation Rate
90%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$63,878
92% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Macalester College and return in the fall. 86% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 90% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
86%
4-5 years
4%
6-8 years
1%
Non-grad
9%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$62,270
Acceptance
29%
Undergrads
2,138
4-Year Grad Rate
86%
Endowment
$814M
Saint Paul, MN 55105-1899
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