Macalester College
Macalester College at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Macalester College Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Christian Colleges Minnesota 2026
- #2 Best Private Colleges in Minnesota 2026
- #2 Best Small Colleges in Minnesota
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Minnesota
- #3 Best Colleges in Minnesota 2026
- #3 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #6 Best Christian Liberal Arts 2026
- #9 Liberal Arts Colleges for Education Degrees
- #11 Communications Liberal Arts Colleges
- #20 Earth Sciences Liberal Arts Colleges
- #20 Anthropology Liberal Arts Colleges
- #22 Sociology Liberal Arts Colleges
- #22 Religious Studies Liberal Arts Colleges
- #23 Math Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Political Science Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Philosophy Liberal Arts Colleges
- #39 Best Christian Colleges 2026
- #46 Best Small Colleges 2026
- #47 Best Liberal Arts Colleges 2026
About Macalester College
According to Wikipedia, Macalester College is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1874, Macalester is exclusively an undergraduate four-year institution with an enrollment of 2,174 students in the fall of 2018. The college has Scottish roots and emphasizes internationalism and multiculturalism.
Macalester College Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,099 | 29% | 92% | 91% | 1430 | 32 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Macalester College Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $70,862 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $15,715 |
| 30K - 48K | $4,569 |
| 48K - 75K | $15,825 |
| 75K - 110K | $28,539 |
| 110K+ | $43,770 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Macalester College Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Macalester College students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $69,951 a year, and 89% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Macalester College's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads |
|---|---|
| 2,158 | 2,158 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Macalester College?
Macalester College is located at 1600 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105-1899.
How Safe is Macalester College?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Macalester College publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Macalester College has a violent crime rate of 0.37% and a property crime rate of 0.28%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft).
What Is Macalester College Known For?
Macalester College is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Economics
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Biology
- Earth Sciences
- Communications
- Chemistry
- History
- Education
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Physics
- Computer Science
Macalester College's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Macalester College's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Macalester College ranks #168 in the U.S. and #515 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesMacalester College ranks #190 in the U.S. and #730 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesMacalester College ranks #199 in the U.S. and #566 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesMacalester College ranks #208 in the U.S. and #836 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesMacalester College ranks #214 in the U.S. and #1028 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesMacalester College ranks #234 in the U.S. and #853 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesMacalester College ranks #246 in the U.S. and #803 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesMacalester College ranks #304 in the U.S. and #1228 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesMacalester College ranks #307 in the U.S. and #1303 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesMacalester College ranks #321 in the U.S. and #1180 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesMacalester College ranks #326 in the U.S. and #1707 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesMacalester College ranks #327 in the U.S. and #919 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesMacalester College ranks #363 in the U.S. and #1561 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesMacalester College ranks #412 in the U.S. and #1034 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesMacalester College ranks #498 in the U.S. and #2206 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesMacalester College ranks #513 in the U.S. and #2278 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesMacalester College ranks #550 in the U.S. and #2515 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are Macalester College's Most Influential Alumni?
Macalester College's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Anthropology, Literature, and Political Science. Here are some of Macalester College's most famous alumni:
- Alexander Wendt
- An American political scientist.
- Kofi Annan
- A 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations .
- Walter Mondale
- A Vice president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
- Laurence BonJour
- An American philosopher.
- Mary Karr
- An American writer.
- Walter Kirn
- An American novelist.
- Alice Echols
- An American historian.
- Charles Baxter
- A Novelist, short story writer, poet, teacher.
- Tim O'Brien
- An American novelist.
- Douglas Harper
- An American sociologist.
- Kate Bowler
- A Canadian academic and writer.
- Harland G. Wood
- A Biochemist.
