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Carleton College

N/A(0)
VerifiedPrivate (Not for Profit)Estd. 1866
Founded
1866
Type
Private (Not for Profit)
University Guide

About Carleton College

Explore overview, courses, fees, admissions, campus life, scholarships and student accommodation guidance in one premium Admistay guide.

Carleton College is a liberal arts college in the United States. It is consistently ranked among the top US liberal arts college and education making it one of the best places to study in the USA. Enrolling 2,100 students annually, Carleton College offers over 1,000 courses including 70 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and various other online certificate programs.

Having an acceptance rate of 19%, Carleton College has an admission intake during fall, winter and summer and follows a semester-based academic pattern. In addition to this, the college has around 200 student-led and created organizations, boosts a small yet notable faculty and small class with student: faculty ratio of 9:1. Carleton College is home to an attractive number of international students from over 45 diverse nationalities.

Carleton College Campus

Carleton College Ranking

A glance at recent ranking highlights of Carleton College is listed below:

Rankings Agency/Publication
#36 US College Times Higher Education
#1 in National Liberal Arts Colleges US News
#1 in Best Undergraduate Teaching US News
#11 in Most Innovative Schools US News
#28 in Best Values School US News
#177 in Top Performers on Social Mobility US News
>#110 in the list of Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs US News

Highlights

College Type Private
College Setting Small town campus
Academic Calendar Semester – based
Intake Seasons Spring, Summer, Fall Semesters
Mode of Program Undergraduate, graduate and off -campus programs
Mode of Payment Bank Transfer, the Hub, Check, Flywire, etc
English Language Proficiency Test TOEFL (IBT, CBT or PBT), IELTS, DET (Duolingo English Test)
Campus Housing and accommodation Student Residences and Housing available
Financial Aid Loans, Grants, Scholarships and Work Study available
Admission Helpdesk [email protected]

Carleton College Campus

  • A campus encircling a large yet comfortable campus of over 1,040 acres, Carleton College is graciously located in a pleasant locality, overlooking the Cannon River.
  • Carleton College encourages students in areas of interest spanning from sports, seminars, performing arts and other relevant fields, either to improve or pick up on any of these skills.
  • Sports activities such as Basketball, Soccer, Bald Spot Frisbee, Women’s Rugby are provided by the college to boost the students’ profile.
  • Students also enjoy excursions and trips through a student- organised group named CANOE, where activities like camping, hiking, canoeing, skiing and more help students interact and form a great bond.
  • The college entails the extra -curricular talents of students and boasts over 200 student -organised clubs.

Carleton College Student Residence

  • Carleton College comprises over 12 Residential Buildings across the campus.
  • Students interested in the Carleton College Student Residence services are required to fill a form or questionnaire, after which they are allowed to choose their roommates or groups. Students also have an option to select their room based on availability indeed.
  • The college also offers private apartments and gated communities for a bounded number of students only, unfortunately. This is referred to as the Northfield Option and the student, if interested, is required to fill an application. Students who ultimately get to stay with the Northfield Option are selected through a lottery process and are thoroughly responsible for their housing arrangements and facilities.
  • Carleton College also offers Interest Houses where a group of students with a common purpose may choose to stay together. The activities for each house, nevertheless, are open for all students.
  • Each room has all the basic amenities including a twin bed, dresser, desk, desk chair, closet / wardrobe, etc.
  • Dining options are densely offered with the college providing convenient meal plans. Carleton College encompasses 4 on -campus dining options or locations:
    • East Dining Hall
    • Burton Dining Hall
    • Sayles Hill Café
    • Weitz Cafe
  • Students may also choose to cook their own food using the kitchen present on every residence hall floor, well equipped with kitchen utensils and amenities such as oven, refrigerator, microwave and storage cabinets.
  • Alternatively there are some other residing options available in the USA.

Carleton College Programs

  • Carleton College offers courses in multi -disciplinary programs including Computer Science, Psychology, Public Policy, Religion, Economics, Educational Studies, French and Francophone Studies, Neuroscience.
  • Carleton College offers distinctive programs in undergraduate and graduate levels. Additional platforms such as off -campus programs are also offered by the academy. Off -campus programs are to be taken during the Spring, Summer or Winter breaks.
  • To help create a flexible link and bridge any potential gaps, Carleton College offers a Summer program for Secondary school (high school) students, known as Carleton College Summer Liberal Arts Institute (SLAI), in order to lay a strong foundation and clear any possibly existing confusion about each course.
  • Following a semester – based academic calendar with three intake seasons, the academy allows students to start their pursuit for deeper learning with Spring, Summer and Fall Seasons.
  • The Carleton Global Engagement Programs allow students to experience a global perception in terms of education, learning and training. Students enjoy a study trip to a place as suited to the course of choice. These are also referred to as Study Abroad programs.

Carleton College Application Process

Mentioned below is the application process for admissions at Carleton College.

Application Portal: Online application available on the official website. Applicants can apply through either Common Application, Coalition Application or QuestBridge Application.

Application Fee: Application fee payable for students interested in admission is free of cost. Common Application, QuestBridge Application and Coalition Applications come free of cost in most cases.

Application Deadlines: Carleton College is not lenient in concerns with admission deadlines and dates. The academy expects prompt and on -schedule submissions, without any delay. The admission deadlines are as follows.

DEADLINE DATE
Fall Early Decision November 15
Regular Decision January 15
Transfer March 31
Winter Early Decision January 15
QuestBridge Application Late September

Admission Requirements: The admission requirements for interested applicants is as listed below.

  • A completed online application form
  • Copies of all official transcripts and relevant previous degrees and education
  • Standardised Test Scores to study in USA: Students whose native or first language is not English or who have not studied 4 years of English are obligated to submit any one of the following scores.
    • IELTS: A minimum band score of 7.0
    • TOEFL (IBT): A minimum score of 100
    • TOEFL (PBT): A minimum score of 600
    • TOEFL (CPT): A minimum score of 250
    • DET (Duolingo English Test): A minimum score of 120
    • SAT: Carleton College has an optional test policy for freshman or first -year students applying for Fall, though students are encouraged to send it, if they prefer so
    • ACT: Carleton College has an optional test policy for freshman or first -year students applying for Fall, though students are encouraged to send it, if preferred so
  • Financial support documents
  • School Report or a high school counsellor recommendation
  • 2 letters of recommendation from 2 academic professionals or references who must not be in relation to the student
  • Portfolios and additional coursework to be demonstrated, if the course of choice requires it.
  • Study Permit or F-1 visa
  • Interview – Students who stay in or nearby Minnesota may walk -in for an optional interview

Note: Students who have a higher degree of knowledge and experience in their elected course of choice and are able to demonstrate the same, stand at a better position to be considered for admission.

Carleton College Cost Of Attendance

The cost of attendance for admissions in Carleton College is as listed below. Carleton College refers to Comprehensive Fee as an all -included fee which is termed annually. The college charges separately for student activities which actively involves sports, music, theatre, art and related activities. Moreover, the academy does not charge separately for laboratory facilities, study trips, etc. The breakdown of fee payment is cited below.

Expenditure Amount (USD)
Tuition 58,968
Student Activity Fee 384
Room accommodation 7,995
Board 7,152

Carleton College Financial Aid

Carleton College believes in helping students pursue their course of choice in a comfortable space and is thus, generous in regards with financial aid and support.

  • Merit -based scholarships are also offered by the institute. Carleton College has awarded 36 National Merit Scholarships.
  • 55.8 million dollars were utilised for students as provision for financial aid.
  • Grants are offered, either from the college or from endowments to the college and hence, help students meet their financial needs without any expectation to be repaid. The college, additionally, has registered for a number of federal grants, namely SEOG and many more.
  • Carleton College participates in federal student loans such as Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized Loan Program, Federal Direct Plus Loans, etc.
  • Students may also choose to pay through monthly instalments and plans.
  • Work Study is another option for students to help meet financial requirements. Through this option, students may earn through campus employment.
  • Students can also apply for the scholarships available in the USA.

Carleton College Placements

  • Carleton College offers a vibrant spectrum of professional opportunities through multiple pathways.
  • The academy offers a few placement tests as a measure of students’ employability skills and preparation for workforce culture.
  • 72% of the graduating students are full -time employees and 9% are part -time employees.

The following mentioned are the most common and frequent employers of Carleton College students:

  • Deloitte
  • Microsoft Corporation
  • U.S Department of State
  • Goldman, Sachs and Co.
  • Google, Inc.

A glance at Carleton College graduates getting salary/year depending on their degree and qualification:

Degree/Qualification Average Salary
Other Degree $77,000
Bachelor of Arts $57,000
Bachelor of Science $61,000
Master of Science $61,000
Bachelor (other) $49,000
  • An average Carleton College Graduate earns roughly $155,000 highest and $42,000 lowest by profession and according to degree/qualifications, candidates getting other degrees from Carleton College have the chance to earn highest.

Carleton College Alumni

Impacting a large number of adept and accomplished students and professionals, Carleton College aims to nurture the minds of the members with adequate and comfortable amounts of space to grow, professionally and individually.

  • The Carleton Alumni Association is a large connection between intellectual and creative people, as large as 28,000 proactive members.
  • The alumni are run and led by the Carleton Alumni Council with a board of 25 skilled directors, linking the alumni with the college.
  • The alumni also help students with dynamic and experiential learning through workshops, seminars as well as on and off -campus.
  • Employability and internship opportunities offered by this strong alumni association blend years of rigorous training with practical knowledge and deep understanding of the subject and program of choice.

The following mentioned are a few notable Carleton College Alumni members:

  • Jimmy Chin – Academy -award winning filmmaker
  • T.J. Stiles – two times Pulitzer Prize winning historian
  • Pierce Butler – US Supreme Court Justice
  • Douglas Vakoch – astrobiologist and president of METI
  • Melvin R. Laird – US Secretary of Défense
  • Mary -Claire King – geneticist and discoverer of BRCA1
  • Margaret Raymond – law professor and dean

FAQs

Ques. Is Carleton College a good school?

Ans. Ranked as the best liberal arts college in the US, Carleton College holds a higher reputation in the education system around the world and offers some of the most acclaimed courses/programs in teaching and education.

Ques. Is Carleton College hard to get into?

Ans. With the acceptance rate of 19%, candidates having a GPA of 4.0 along with a very strong academic and overall persona are accepted at Carleton College.

Ques. What is the application fee for programs at Carleton College?

Ans. Application fee is $100 non-refundable for programs at Carleton College.

Ques. Can I apply for an application fee-waiver at Carleton College?

Ans. Yes, Carleton College grants application fee waiver on terms and conditions.

Ques. What are the popular majors at Carleton College?

Ans. Programs including social sciences, physical sciences, computer and information sciences and Support Services, biological and biomedical sciences, and mathematics and statistics are popular among students at Carleton College.

Ques. DO I need SAT/ACT scores while applying for programs at Carleton College?

Ans. Carleton College has opted for test-optional policy for the upcoming year admission due to COVID-19.

Ques. DO I need to submit English Proficiency Test scores while applying for programs at Carleton College?

Ans. Yes, English Proficiency Test scores are mandatory requirements while applying for programs at Carleton College.

Ques. Does Carleton College offer academic scholarships to international applicants?

Ans. Carleton college offers only partial academic-based and need-based scholarships to its all applicants.

Ques. Does Carleton College have dual-degree programs?

Ans. Yes, Carleton grants various dual-degree programs and is also in formal partnership with Washington University with this.

Courses & Fees

Compare courses in a cleaner, easier way

Explore tuition, duration, language, eligibility, and exam requirements without the clutter.

Courses

23

Fee from

₹47,81,215.95

Exams

IELTS · TOEFL

Showing 5 of 23 bachelors

Overview
Degree TypeBachelor
Duration4 years
Study ModeFull Time
LanguageEnglish
Fees
Tuition FeeINR 46.5 L/Yr
Native FeeUSD 49,665 /Yr
Fee trendTuition progression
Official Program Page
Admission Guide

Admission Process

Carleton College is recognized for offering admission to various undergraduate programs in Liberal Arts. The college exhibits a competitive admission policy with an acceptance rate of 19%. International students can pursue 33 majors and 37 minor programs at Carleton College in various disciplines like Mathematics, Arts and Social Science disciplines. 

The college offers admission to the students in the terms of fall and winter. International students are encouraged to apply for the early admission process due to the first-come-first-serve basis of admission. Significant Carleton College admission requirements include SAT or ACT scores, personal statements, essays and multiple LOR. International students require a demonstration of outstanding proficiency in English through different tests due to the highly selective admission policy. 

The college comprises around 8% of international students from 35 countries. Carleton College is a desired education institution for international students as it provides 100% scholarships to study in USA to all students with demonstrated financial need. Besides, the Alumni Annual Fund raises more than 8.5 million USD (~6 billion INR) as financial aid.  

Highlights

Application Portals Common Application
Application Fees No application charged
Acceptance Rate 19%
Mode Of Fee Payment Both Online and Offline
Average SAT Score Mathematics – 770
Reading and Writing – 660
Average ACT Score 30-33
Standardized Tests SAT/ACT
Academic Calendar Semester-based
Admission Season Fall and Winter
English Proficiency Test TOEFL/PBT/CPT/IELTS
International Admissions Carleton International

Carleton College Admission Deadlines

Carleton College offers admissions mainly in two seasons i.e. fall and winter. The below is a detailed admission schedule for international applicants:

Deadlines Dates
Fall (For Early Applicants) November 15
Winter (For Early Applicants) January 15
Regular Decision January 15 and beyond based on seat availability

Applicants whose first preference is Carleton college are advised to opt for the Early Decision program. Applicants are allowed to submit applications of other colleges and universities in order to keep their options open but in no circumstances will they be allowed to apply for Early applicants for the others. Early application is a commitment to join in if selected. On selection the applicant is expected to withdraw for the remaining applications.

Carleton College International Admissions

International students constitute about 11% of Carleton College's student population. Below are the basic requirements for applications of admissions for the International Applicants:

  • Academic requirements: Following are the admission requirements for Carleton Colleges:
  • Copies of Official transcripts
  • Mark sheets in English or Translated in English
  • SAT or ACT scores
  • Academic LOR
  • Professional LOR
  • English proficiency test scores
  • Supporting documents – Certification of Finances, Visa verification documents

English Proficiency Requirements

International students who did not have English as their first language must provide evidence in English proficiency. The minimum required scores are listed below:

Tests Required Scores
TOEFL iBT 100
TOEFL PBT 600
TOEFL CBT 250
IELTS 7.0
Duolingo 120

Visa Requirements for International students

Accepted international students will need a US student visa to be able to study at Carleton. The requirements for obtaining student visa are provided below:

  • Submit a supporting bank letter/ Certification of Finances
  • A copy of Passport or national ID to obtain Form I-20 from the University.
  • Apply for F-1 Visa
  • Schedule visa interview

Carleton College Undergraduate Admissions

The college offers numerous options to select your bachelor’s degree programs in the respective subjects. It gives you an option to choose your major from a set of 33 subjects and your minors from a set of 37 programs. The diversified set provides you with subjects like Neuroscience, Economics, Middle Eastern Languages, South Asian Dance Forms, Spanish Russian and so on.

Application Portal: Common Application

Admission Requirements: The application prerequisites for Carleton College admission are listed below:

  • Official transcripts, 
  • ACT/SAT scores
  • LOR, 
  • Essay

Apart from all of these the other factors taken into consideration are:

  • Personal statement
  • Past academic background
  • Standardized test scores
  • English proficiency scores
  • An essay is one of the most determining parts of the selection of your application.

Applicants can check the application status on the applicant portal. The applicants have to submit the art materials in music, theatre, dance, the visual arts, films. The submitted portfolio is reviewed by the admission teams. The interview sessions can be conducted online as well as offline. The college also provides on-campus jobs along with necessary financial aid making it affordable for the students of the United States.

Placements & Recruiters

Carleton College Placement Details

Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, United States placement details include salary insights, top recruiters, and hiring trends to help students understand career outcomes and campus opportunities.

Students usually compare highest package, average package, and recruiter profile before applying. This section gives a compact overview of career outcomes and placement visibility in Northfield, Minnesota, United States.

Recruiters
N/A
Salary Metrics
0/2
Placement Metric

Highest Package

N/A

Represents the top salary package reported in the available placement information.

Placement Metric

Average Package

N/A

Shows the typical package range students may expect based on the available average salary data.

Placement information is currently limited.

More salary or recruiter data may be updated later for this college.

Rankings over the years

Year-wise highlights from global and country rankings available for this university.

2019

Highlights
2019
  • Best overall country rank: #49
  • Overall: #49 in country
  • Top source: FORBES
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 2 ranking records in 2019

2020

Highlights
2020
  • Best overall country rank: #261
  • Overall: #261 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2020

2021

Highlights
2021
  • Best overall country rank: #261
  • Overall: #261 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2021

2022

Highlights
2022
  • Best overall country rank: #247
  • Overall: #247 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2022

2025

Highlights
2025
  • Best overall country rank: #242
  • Overall: #242 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2025

Contact Information

100 South College Street, 55057-4016

+1-507-222-4000