- Acceptance rate: 20% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 720–770 reading and writing, 730–790 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 32–34 composite
- Average net price: $29,434 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? GPA calculator
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Carleton College reported: an acceptance rate of 20% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 32–34.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Carleton College reviews each application.
Carleton College GPA requirements
Carleton College doesn't require a high school GPA from first-year applicants but considers one if it's submitted, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Carleton College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Carleton College acceptance rate
Carleton College admitted 1,456 of 7,133 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 20%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Carleton College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Northfield, Minnesota, with 2,128 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Carleton College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 720 | 745 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 730 | 770 | 790 |
| ACT Composite | 32 | 34 | 34 |
| ACT English | 34 | 35 | 35 |
| ACT Math | 29 | 32 | 34 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1517 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Carleton College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Considered if submitted |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Carleton College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $29,434 a year at Carleton College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get into Carleton College with a 3.5 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Carleton College admitted 20% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It considers a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.5 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
What SAT and ACT scores do Carleton College students have?
The middle 50% of Carleton College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 720–770 in reading and writing and 730–790 in math; ACT composite 32–34, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
What GPA does Carleton College look for?
Carleton College doesn't require a high school GPA but considers one if submitted, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Carleton College?
Check Carleton College's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Carleton College was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 34% sent SAT scores and 25% sent ACT scores.
How important is GPA for getting into Carleton College?
It's one factor among several: Carleton College requires high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school GPA, high school class rank, test scores, demonstration of competencies and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What is the acceptance rate at Carleton College?
Carleton College's acceptance rate was 20% for fall 2024: it admitted 1,456 of 7,133 first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
How hard is it to get into Carleton College?
Highly selective: fewer than 1 in 4 applicants got in. Carleton College admitted 20% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
Does it matter at Carleton College if a parent went there?
No. Carleton College doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does Carleton College give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Carleton College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What is the average net price at Carleton College?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $29,434 a year at Carleton College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check Carleton College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Carleton CollegeU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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