Carleton College tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Carleton College is $84,893 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $25,407 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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What your family pays
$25,407 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $84,893. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusAll students
Tuition & fees$68,892
Housing & meals$16,710
Books & supplies$938
Personal & travel$1,788
Living-at-home adjustment−$3,435
Total cost of attendance$84,893

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$15,960
Loan default rate0.8%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out21%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants17%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$59,486Sticker price minus average net price

College Scorecard

Carleton College net price compared with other Minnesota colleges

Carleton College has the 25th-lowest average net price of 37 Minnesota colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
21Gustavus Adolphus College$22,90077%$65,607
22Augsburg University$23,87352%$58,829
23St Olaf College$23,87484%$65,543
24Concordia College at Moorhead$24,90261%$59,317
25Carleton College$25,40790%$75,525
26Saint Johns University$25,67275%$76,786
27North Central University$25,81766%$45,064
28College of Saint Benedict$26,64077%$63,260
29Crown College$26,67245%$48,057

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Minnesota colleges →

Why Carleton College costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Carleton College20%$25,40790%$75,525This school
Macalester College29%$32,14987%$63,878
St Olaf College48%$23,87484%$65,543
Crown College23%$26,67245%$48,057
Gustavus Adolphus College61%$22,90077%$65,607

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Carleton College would cost you $6,742 less per year than Macalester College, on average.

  • Higher sticker price at Carleton College, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$1,233).
  • Carleton College gives aided families $8,644 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Minnesota residentCarleton CollegeMacalester CollegeDifference
Tuition & fees$68,892$68,104+$788
Books & supplies$938$926+$12
Housing & meals$16,710$15,477+$1,233
Personal & travel$1,788$1,680+$108
Living-at-home adjustment−$3,435−$3,196−$239
Sticker price$84,893$82,991+$1,902
Average grants−$59,486−$50,842−$8,644
You pay$25,407$32,149−$6,742

“+” means Carleton College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Carleton College cost questions

How much is tuition at Carleton College?

Tuition and fees are $68,892 a year.

What is the total cost of attending Carleton College?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $84,893 a year.

What do families actually pay at Carleton College?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $25,407 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $7,881; $48–75k pay $9,680; $110k+ pay $44,082.

How much debt do Carleton College graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $15,960, and 0.8% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is Carleton College the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Carleton College overview