Carleton College SAT Scores, ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, and Admissions Requirements
Carleton is test-optional, but the students submitting scores are clustered high: the middle SAT range is 1470 to 1540, with ACT scores at 32 to 35. Your target should be to reach that range, and a score near the top can give your application a concrete academic boost.
⬡ LangSmith5fcd77ee-34f2-48b3-ab42-b642efb16434Data on this page is sourced from our college data partners and was last updated on July 9, 2026.
Carleton College facts and stats
Carleton College enrolls 2,128 undergraduates in a small-town campus setting. Carleton’s freshman retention rate is 97%, well above the national average of roughly 70%. Its 6-year graduation rate is 90%. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1.
⬡ LangSmithe11da729-8cc6-4b14-9361-c4b345e5dd12Northfield, MN
How do your scores compare at Carleton?
Key Carleton College application dates
Key dates
Regular Decision
January 15
Early Action
Not offered
Early Decision
November 15
Priority Deadline
—
Financial Aid Priority
January 15
Test dates
August 22, 2026
Registration deadline: August 7, 2026
September 12, 2026
Registration deadline: August 28, 2026
October 3, 2026
Registration deadline: September 18, 2026
September 19, 2026
Registration deadline: August 14, 2026
October 17, 2026
Registration deadline: September 11, 2026
December 12, 2026
Registration deadline: November 6, 2026
If you choose to submit scores to Carleton, plan to take your first SAT or ACT by spring of junior year so you can use the summer before senior year and fall for retakes and possible superscore gains. For the November 15 Early Decision deadline, the October SAT or ACT is typically the last fall retake likely to arrive in time.
⬡ LangSmith4626ccbe-ce53-4de0-9e7b-8f77a7a2cef5Want to improve your scores and unlock scholarships at Carleton College?
Higher test scores can mean bigger merit awards. Acely helps you get there faster.
What you'll actually pay
Carleton’s tuition and fees are $68,892, and 55% of students receive aid. The average merit award is $15,761, and families should submit the FAFSA by the January 15 priority deadline.
⬡ LangSmith61919fa6-7d43-4bb7-bd9d-346242bd9d41
Carleton’s listed cost of attendance is about $86,478 for tuition, fees, room, and board. About 55% of students receive aid, with an average aid package of $69,761, which can substantially reduce the billed cost for eligible families. Merit awards average $15,761 for recipients. Students graduate with an average debt of $21,407.
⬡ LangSmitheb0721a9-9639-4ebf-9f27-2a90b79bc323Student life at Carleton College
97% of undergrads live on campus
Freshman housing: Guaranteed
No fraternity or sorority life on campus.
Similar schools
Macalester College
St. Paul, MNAcceptance rate: 28.5%
SAT: 1360–1490
ACT: 30–34
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, MIAcceptance rate: 20.7%
SAT: 1340–1470
ACT: 30–33
Grinnell College
Grinnell, IAAcceptance rate: 14.5%
SAT: 1430–1520
ACT: 31–34
Denison University
Granville, OHAcceptance rate: 17.4%
SAT: 1340–1480
ACT: 30–33
Unlock your future with Acely
Adaptive SAT and ACT practice that meets you where you are and gets you to your target score.