College Profiles/ Macalester College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Macalester College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Saint Paul, MN · 2,059 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Macalester College for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Macalester College admitted 26.4% of 10,048 first-year applicants.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $96,350.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Early Decision II Jan 1, Early Action Nov 1, Regular Decision Jan 15.[3]
26.4%
Overall admit rate[1]
30 to 34
Middle 50% ACT[4]
$96,350
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
88.0%
Six-year graduation rate[5]
Macalester College at a Glance
- Location
- Saint Paul, MN
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 10:1[4]
- Endowment
- $882 million (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 92.0%[5]
The ConnectPrep Take on Macalester College
The ConnectPrep take
Macalester calls academic performance the most important factor and looks for evidence that your student has performed at a very high level. It also weighs recommendations, essays, leadership and activities, and names four core values: academic distinction, internationalism, multiculturalism and service to society. Seventeen percent of the Class of 2030 is international, so an applicant with real global curiosity fits naturally. The admit rate is 26.4% on 10,048 applicants. Macalester offers four rounds: ED I and Early Action on Nov 1, ED II on Jan 1, and Regular Decision on Jan 15. Testing is optional and not submitting is no disadvantage, but we still believe a higher score helps when it strengthens a strong transcript. The mistake we see is a late interview; staff interviews must happen by Nov 13 for ED I to count.
What to do this fall
- Book an optional staff interview early; slots are first come, first served, and must happen by your round's cutoff.
- Write about service or global engagement in specifics, since Macalester names both among its core values.
- Choose among ED I, EA, ED II and RD based on how sure your student is.
- Submit priority aid by Nov 9 for ED I and EA, eight days after the application.
Applying to Macalester College? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Macalester College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
10,048 |
2,656 |
26.4% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 21.2%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[4] |
680 to 750 |
| SAT Math[4] |
670 to 760 |
| ACT composite[4] |
30 to 34 |
Test score ranges on this page come from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which reports an earlier entering class than the school’s newest Common Data Set.[4]
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 750 in Reading and Writing and 760 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 34 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Macalester College looks for
In its own words: Macalester practices holistic review and calls academic performance the most important factor, looking for evidence that an applicant has performed at a very high level academically. It also weighs recommendations, essays, leadership, and activities, and it names academic distinction, internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society as core values.[6]
Macalester College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 1 |
Dec 6 (ED I); Jan 31 (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 1 |
|
| Early Action |
Nov 1 |
Dec 19 |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 15 |
Mar 14 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Macalester College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Staff interview |
Nov 13 (ED I); Dec 4 (EA); Jan 8 (ED II); Jan 29 (RD) |
Optional virtual staff interviews for domestic applicants, one per student, first come first served; interview by these dates so it counts in review. High school seniors can interview Aug 3 to Jan 29.[7] |
| Financial aid priority |
Nov 9 (ED I, EA); Jan 8 (ED II); Jan 22 (RD) |
Priority financial aid dates; ED I and EA aid is due Nov 9, eight days after the Nov 1 application.[3] |
| Arts portfolio |
See note |
Optional art, music, theater or dance work submitted through the applicant portal before the application deadline.[6] |
See how Macalester College compares with other colleges in the Midwest deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Macalester College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$96,350 |
| Tuition[2] |
$74,394 |
| Average share of need met[8] |
100.0% |
On-campus student, federal cost of attendance components including tuition and required course materials, food and housing, activity fee, books, computer, personal expenses, travel (low estimate), and average loan fee; the billed comprehensive fee is $92,154.[2]
- Macalester College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[8]
- Through the Macalester Tuition Promise, admitted U.S. students with family income of $100,000 or less and typical assets receive a full-tuition scholarship.[8]
- International students: Macalester meets 100 percent of every admitted student's demonstrated need, and international students who qualify for need-based aid receive a four-year aid package at the time of admission.[8]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[4]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$13,772 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$11,982 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$11,098 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$20,527 |
| Over $110,000 |
$44,880 |
| All aided students |
$32,149 |
Academics and Majors at Macalester College
Signature programs
Macalester Tuition Promise
Admitted U.S. students from families earning $100,000 or less with typical assets receive a full-tuition scholarship.[8]
Internationalism
Internationalism is one of Macalester's four core values, alongside academic distinction, multiculturalism, and service to society, and 17 percent of the Class of 2030 is international.[1]
Majors, minors, and academic concentrations
Areas of study include Global Indigenous Studies, Food, Agriculture, and Society, Media and Cultural Studies, and Urban Studies, with over 800 courses offered each year.[9]
Choosing a major and getting in
Macalester offers majors, minors, and concentrations and includes over 800 courses each year.[9]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I and Early Decision II.[6]
- Early Action.[6]
- QuestBridge partner.[6]
- Merit scholarships awarded at the time of admission.[6]
Macalester College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[5] |
92.0% |
| Graduated within six years[5] |
88.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$63,878 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$23,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
17% |
Make Macalester College a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
Macalester College FAQs
What is the Macalester College acceptance rate?
Macalester College admitted 26.4% of first-year applicants (2,656 of 10,048).
When are the Macalester College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 1; Early Decision II Jan 1; Early Action Nov 1; Regular Decision Jan 15.
How much does Macalester College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $96,350. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What is the Macalester Tuition Promise?
Through the Macalester Tuition Promise, admitted U.S. students with family income of $100,000 or less and typical assets receive a full-tuition scholarship. Macalester meets 100 percent of every admitted student's demonstrated need, and international students who qualify for need-based aid receive a four-year package at the time of admission.
Does Macalester offer interviews?
Yes. Optional virtual staff interviews are available to domestic applicants, one per student, first come first served, from Aug 3 to Jan 29 of senior year. To count in review, the interview must happen by Nov 13 for ED I, Dec 4 for Early Action, Jan 8 for ED II, or Jan 29 for Regular Decision.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Macalester College. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
