AMBITIOUS TOGETHER
What makes a Carl, a Carl?
You're uncommonly curious. Carleton students love to learn broadly and think deeply. No interest is too niche for a Carl.
You’re an original. Carleton embraces the differences in everyone. Here you’re encouraged to be your true self.
You play well with others. Carleton is collaborative, not competitive. You won’t find an elitist vibe here.
Sound like you? You might really like it here.
We're ambitious, together.
Carleton is a private, residential liberal arts college located in Northfield, Minnesota.
68% study abroad
230 students completed a Carleton-sponsored internship last year
194 students completed a Carleton-sponsored externship last year
73% volunteer in the community
2,019 students 91% graduate within six years
50 States 57 Countries 10% International 36% of U.S. students identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color
16 average students per class
8:1 student/faculty ratio
3 10-week terms 33 majors to choose from
participate in varsity, club, or intramural sports
14 student interest houses
62% attend graduate or professional school within eight years
79% are employed or volunteering and 19% are enrolled in a graduate program six months after graduation
$153,700: median mid-career salary (Payscale.com)
Welcome to the middle of everywhere!
Carleton is located in Northfield, Minnesota— just 45 minutes south of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Often cited for its charm and livability, Northfield consistently ranks among the best U.S. college towns.
YOU CAN BIKE OR WALK ANYWHERE ON CAMPUS WITHIN MINUTES
COLLEGE-TOWN CHARM
Just a few blocks from campus, Northfield’s main street is lined with shops and restaurants. Take a break from your chem homework and browse one of our locally owned stores, or meet your study group at a popular downtown coffeeshop.
COFFEE? TEA? HOT CIDER? FIND YOUR FAVORITE DOWNTOWN!
BIG-CITY BUZZ
It’s easy to hop on a bus to the Twin Cities to take advantage of the vibrant arts and music scene, cheer Minnesota’s professional sports teams, or visit the shops and restaurants at the Mall of America.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
If you love the outdoors, you’ll find endless opportunities for year-round recreation right here on campus. The 800-acre Cowling Arboretum has 15 miles of trails and is one of the most beloved parts of our campus. Students enjoy hiking, running, snowshoeing, crosscountry skiing, and so much more.
You’ve got some major choices
CARLS LOVE TO LEARN ➜ in classrooms, labs, and even our dorm lounges during late-night chats with friends. Your faculty adviser will help you choose courses that challenge and intrigue you. Best of all, you’ll have plenty of time to sample Carleton’s curriculum before you declare your major at the end of sophomore year, so go ahead and try something new!
AREAS OF ACADEMIC INTEREST
Africana studies ■ ●
American music ●
American studies ■ ●
Arabic ●
Archaeology ●
Art history ■ ●
Asian languages and literatures
Asian studies ■
Astronomy
Biochemistry ●
Biology ■
Chemistry ■
Chinese ●
Cinema and media studies ■
Classics ■ ●
Cognitive science ■ ●
Computer science ■
Creative writing ●
Cross-cultural studies ●
Dance ● Data Science and Statistics ●
Digital arts and humanities ●
East Asian studies ● Economics ■
Educational studies ● Engineering ▲
English ■ Environmental studies ■ European studies ●
French ●
French and Francophone studies ■ ●
Geology ■
Gender, women’s & sexuality studies ■ ●
German ■ ●
Greek ●
■ Major offered
● Minor offered
KEY
Hebrew
History ■ ●
Interdisciplinary studies
Japanese ● Judaic studies
Latin ● Latin American studies ■ ● Law ▲
Linguistics ■ Literary and cultural studies
Mathematics ■ ● Medieval and Renaissance studies ● Middle East studies ● Middle Eastern languages
Music ■ ● Music performance ●
Neuroscience ● Philosophy ■ ●
Physical education, athletics, and recreation
Physics ■ Political science and international relations ■
Pre-law
Pre-med
Psychology ■
Public policy ●
Religion ■ Russian ■ ●
Sociology and anthropology ■
South Asian studies ● Spanish ■ ●
Statistics ■ Studio art ■
Theater arts ■ ●
▲ Special program in cooperation with another institution Most popular majors
Learn
Learning in action
With our small classes and exceptional professors, Carleton offers a rigorous, yet highly supportive academic environment. Our curriculum goes way beyond lectures and exams. We encourage students to make connections between disciplines and approach problems creatively.
RESEARCH WITH THE BEST
Do graduate-level work and publish in peer-reviewed journals alongside faculty researchers in a variety of fields.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Partner with a local business or nonprofit on a course assignment or research project.
College isn’t just about playing to your strengths— it’s about discovering new ones! Carleton students learn skills that prepare them for a constantly changing world.
Argument & Inquiry
STARTING STRONG
An Argument & Inquiry (A&I) Seminar is required for all incoming first years and includes a wide range of subjects. A&Is introduce students to our collaborative liberal arts approach to learning and teach the critical and creative skills they will need to thrive at Carleton.
Senior Comps
PUT THEORY INTO PRACTICE
Each Carleton senior completes a capstone project in their major, referred to as comps. Some students conduct sophisticated research projects and write corresponding papers. Others deliver lectures, present posters, or create something entirely new—like a painting, musical composition, or computer program.
See the World
WE MAKE IT EASY AND AFFORDABLE TO STUDY OFF CAMPUS.
Key things to know about our off-campus study programs:
• 68% of students study off campus at least once—and often more!
• Our 10-week trimester schedule makes off-campus study extra accessible.
• Your financial aid travels with you! For Carleton programs, you'll only cover your travel expenses.
• Carleton faculty lead 20 programs every year.
FLOCK HILL, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
AMMAN, JORDAN
PARIS, FRANCE
Over 100 programs to choose from. Which will you pick?
Here are a few examples of the amazing places off-campus studies can take you!
FOOD, FORESTS, AND RESILIENCE IN OAXACA, MEXICO
Students visit farms and forestry projects in rural Minnesota and Oaxaca. They use anthropological and ecological approaches to understanding these systems in order to appreciate the relationships between culture and conservation.
ECOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY IN TANZANIA
This interdisciplinary experience examines human and wildlife interactions in Tanzania’s world-renowned protected areas of the Maasai Steppe and Serengeti ecosystem.
BUDDHIST STUDIES IN BODH GAYA, INDIA
Buddhist Studies in India offers meditation practice and the study of philosophy, anthropology, and the history of Buddhism in a safe and authentic environment.
WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES IN EUROPE
Since 1984, Women’s and Gender Studies in Europe has offered students a unique opportunity to explore feminist and queer theory in practice across Western, Eastern, and Central Europe.
Can't decide? Learn more about off-campus studies at GO.CARLETON.EDU/OCS
Find your niche
Whether you’re an athlete, an artist, an activist—or a little of all three—you’ll meet Carleton students who share your passion. We have more than 200 student organizations and dozens of intramural and club sports to choose from.
Student Organizations and limitless opportunities for fun!
ADVOCATE
Build community and discuss global and cultural issues at events hosted by the Office of Intercultural Life.
GAME ON
Join a team: 20 Division III varsity sports, 23 club sports, and dozens of intramural sports.
BAKE
Mix up cookies at Dacie Moses, a campus house that exists solely as a place to relax and hang out with friends.
ROCK OUT
Celebrate the end of spring term at Sproncert, a day filled with music, friendship, and lots of dancing.
PERFORM
Express yourself in one of our many practice and performance spaces.
CREATE
Sculpt, print, and paint in one of our many campus art studios.
IMPACT
Join the Food Recovery Network, where students recover surplus food from campus dining halls and donate it to community partners.
SUPPORT
Learn from your peers at studentled workshops on sexuality or gender identity and expression.
CARLETON ALUMNI ARE LEADERS, INNOVATORS, AND CHANGE-MAKERS.
Jimmy Chin ’96 directed and produced the Academy Award-winning film Free Solo. CLIMBER, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND FILMMAKER
MAYA WARREN ’07 MADE A MILLION BUCKS AND MAKES SURE YOUR ICE CREAM TASTES GREAT. WINNER OF THE AMAZING RACE AND ICE CREAM SCIENTIST WHO COLLABORATES WITH CELEBRITIES LIKE LIONEL RICHIE AND TYRA BANKS ON NEW FLAVORS
JOHN HARRIS ’85 REVOLUTIONIZED HOW AMERICANS GET THEIR NEWS. FOUNDING EDITOR AND GLOBAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF POLITICO
CHRIS KRATT ’92 ENCOURAGED MILLIONS OF KIDS TO LOVE ANIMALS. COCREATOR AND COSTAR OF PBS’S WILD KRATTS, ZOBOOMAFOO, AND KRATTS’ CREATURES
Check out more Carleton alumni! YOUTUBE.COM/CARLETONCOLLEGE
Our reputation speaks for itself
#1
Best undergraduate teaching since 2010 U.S. News and World Report
#2
Peace Corps volunteer-producing small college or university
Top 10
Top 10
Liberal arts college U.S. News and World Report
7
Recent alumni received Fulbright awards in 2024
Best schools for financial aid (private schools) —Princeton Review
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR CARLETON DEGREE?
We
work hard to make Carleton affordable for every family.
A
Carleton
education is . . .
ACCESSIBLE AND ATTAINABLE
Don’t get sticker shock. We work with families to offer financial aid that keeps your student debt low. Many students find that our financial aid packages surpass those offered by schools with lower comprehensive fees.
Chances are, you’ve heard that college is expensive. We won’t argue with that, but we will offer some perspective on cost: Our financial aid packages are typically a combination of three types of aid:
WORTH THE INVESTMENT
Four years at Carleton prepares you for a lifetime of personal and professional fulfillment. When you graduate from Carleton, you join an engaged network of 29,000 alumni who work in a variety of ways to better our communities and our world.
FLEXIBLE AND FOREVER
No matter your area of study, the foundational knowledge of the field you choose to explore will change over time. You will leave Carleton capable of embracing those changes—with a nimble mind, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate successfully with diverse colleagues.
grants and scholarships student employment loans
Our financial aid estimators will help you determine what a Carleton education will cost you and your family: GO.CARLETON.EDU/ESTIMATOR
BY THE NUMBERS
100%
We meet the full demonstrated need of every student.
We don’t assume you’ll need to take out private loans or find outside scholarships.
$86,478
The 2024–2025 comprehensive fee, including tuition, housing, food, and an activity fee.
$60,806
The average 2023–2024 need-based financial aid award, including grants, scholarships, student employment, and loans.
$21,407
For the Class of 2024, the average student’s debt at graduation was well below the national average of $37,850.
8
We limit your campus job to 8 hours per week your first year so you have plenty of time for academics and extracurricular activities.
Get to Know Us
There’s much more to learn about Carleton than we can show you in one brochure.
➜ Our professors are unsurpassed in their commitment to undergraduate teaching, our students are passionate and friendly, and our campus is beautiful year-round, from sunny September to snowy February.
But the best way to get a feel for Carleton is to experience it yourself!
Explore Carleton by visiting us in person or taking a virtual tour. We can’t wait to meet you!
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