Saint Paul, MN · Private · 2,131 undergraduates · urban
Macalester College
Selective
Macalester uses its St. Paul location and a dedicated global-citizenship institute to connect liberal-arts study with civic and international work.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in student experience, and strong in academic standing.- Admission
- 28.2% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 89.5%
8,099 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$63,878 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Macalester College apart
Academic design
The Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship brings together community engagement, study away, interdisciplinary programming, and globally focused student initiatives.
Campus pattern
The residential campus sits along Grand Avenue in St. Paul, placing students within established city neighborhoods rather than an isolated college town.
A signature opportunity
The Kofi Annan Institute makes local civic engagement and international learning part of one coordinated institutional structure.
Can I get in?
28.2% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
8,099About 28 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 30% submitted an SAT, and 28% submitted an ACT. Use your score when it adds strength to the application; withhold it when it does not.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Macalester College, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Macalester College weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
The Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship brings together community engagement, study away, interdisciplinary programming, and globally focused student initiatives.
Make institutional fit specific
Macalester uses its St. Paul location and a dedicated global-citizenship institute to connect liberal-arts study with civic and international work.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Check eligibility for a fee waiver
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Macalester College
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Mathematics
Economics
Biology, General
Political Science and Government
What is campus life like?
Macalester College beyond the classroom
The residential campus sits along Grand Avenue in St. Paul, placing students within established city neighborhoods rather than an isolated college town.
A defining academic feature
The Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship brings together community engagement, study away, interdisciplinary programming, and globally focused student initiatives.
What shapes an ordinary week
The residential campus sits along Grand Avenue in St. Paul, placing students within established city neighborhoods rather than an isolated college town.
A reason to look closer
The Kofi Annan Institute makes local civic engagement and international learning part of one coordinated institutional structure.