- Acceptance rate: 29% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 680–750 reading and writing, 670–760 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 30–34 composite
- Average net price: $38,571 a year (2022–23)
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Calculate your GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Macalester College reported: an acceptance rate of 29% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 30–34.
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. Macalester College reviews each application.
Macalester College GPA requirements
Macalester 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 Macalester College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Macalester College acceptance rate
Macalester College admitted 2,558 of 8,968 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 29%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Macalester College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with 2,138 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Macalester 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 | 680 | 720 | 750 |
| SAT Math | 670 | 720 | 760 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 32 | 34 |
| ACT English | 30 | 34 | 35 |
| ACT Math | 27 | 29 | 32 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1440 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Macalester 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 |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | 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 |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Macalester 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 $38,571 a year at Macalester 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
How hard is it to get into Macalester College?
Selective: fewer than half of applicants got in. Macalester College admitted 29% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How important is GPA for getting into Macalester College?
It's one factor among several: Macalester College requires high school record and recommendations. It considers high school GPA, high school class rank, college preparatory program, essay or personal statement, test scores and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests, demonstration of competencies and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Is Macalester College test optional?
Yes. Macalester College considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 29% sent SAT scores and 23% sent ACT scores.
What SAT and ACT scores do Macalester College students have?
The middle 50% of Macalester College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 680–750 in reading and writing and 670–760 in math; ACT composite 30–34, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Can I get into Macalester College with a 3.0 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Macalester College admitted 29% 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 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
How many applicants get into Macalester College?
Macalester College's acceptance rate was 29% for fall 2024: it admitted 2,558 of 8,968 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
What GPA do you need to get into Macalester College?
Macalester College doesn't require a high school GPA but considers one if submitted, according to its filing with 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.
Does Macalester College give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Macalester 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.
Does Macalester College consider legacy status?
No. Macalester College doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What do students pay at Macalester College after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $38,571 a year at Macalester 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 Macalester College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Macalester 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).
Similar colleges in Minnesota
With a similar acceptance rate and size.
- Carleton CollegeHard · 20% admitted
- Crown CollegeHard · 23% admitted
- Bethany Lutheran CollegeModerate · 39% admitted
- St Olaf CollegeModerate · 48% admitted
- Minneapolis College of Art and DesignModerate · 48% admitted
- Gustavus Adolphus CollegeFairly easy · 61% admitted
See all colleges in Minnesota →