Getting in
For Fall 2025, 8,819 first-year students applied to Macalester, 2,481 were admitted and 534 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 28.1%.
Source: Macalester College Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. Macalester admits to the college as a whole; its Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate, with no rate by major.
Source: Macalester College Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early decision. Early decision counts as the 2025-2026 Common Data Set reports them, with both early decision rounds counted together; they are part of the totals above. The Common Data Set does not report early action counts, so there is no early action acceptance rate.
Early decision, Fall 2025
| Plan | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I and II together | 479 | 201 | 42% |
Source: Macalester College Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Programs with extra requirements
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
Macalester has no separate schools to apply to. One optional item depends on your interests:
- Art, music, theater or dance. Optional: you may submit an arts portfolio through your applicant portal before your application deadline. It is not required, and it has no bearing on your intended area of study.
Source: Macalester Admissions, U.S. First-Year Applicants (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
38 majors across 1 school. Every area of study Macalester lists as offering a major, from the college's official Areas of Study page. Minors and concentrations are left out.
Macalester College38
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Art and Art History
- Asian Studies
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Chinese
- Classical Mediterranean and Middle East
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Economics
- Educational Studies
- English and Creative Writing
- Environmental Studies
- French and Francophone Studies
- Geography
- Geology
- German Studies
- History
- International Studies
- Japanese
- Latin American Studies
- Linguistics
- Mathematics
- Media and Cultural Studies
- Music
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Russian Studies
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Statistics
- Theater and Dance
- Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Source: Macalester College, Areas of Study (filtered to majors) (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Deadlines for Fall 2027
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
| Plan | Apply by | Decision | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | November 1 | December 6 | Yes |
| Early Action | November 1 | December 19 | No |
| Early Decision II | January 1 | January 31 | Yes |
| Regular Decision | January 15 | March 14 | No |
Financial aid priority dates are November 9 for Early Decision I and Early Action, January 8 for Early Decision II and January 22 for Regular Decision. Reply dates are December 21 for Early Decision I, February 8 for Early Decision II, and May 1 for Early Action and Regular Decision. Macalester takes the Common App or the QuestBridge Application; QuestBridge dates differ.
Source: Macalester Admissions, Dates and Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early decision is for students who know Macalester is their first choice and is restrictive: if admitted, you must withdraw all other applications, assuming the financial aid award makes attendance at Macalester financially feasible. Early action is non-restrictive: you may apply to other colleges and reply by May 1.
Source: Macalester Admissions, When should I apply? (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
Macalester follows a test-optional admissions policy: you may send ACT, SAT, AP and IB scores or not. With or without scores, every applicant gets equal consideration for admission and scholarships. If you send scores, you may self-report them on the Common App, email them, or have official scores sent.
Source: Macalester Admissions, U.S. First-Year Applicants (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set also marks the SAT or ACT as not required for fall 2027 applicants, but considered if submitted, with scores due by January 15.
Source: Macalester College Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked Macalester's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.
Source: Macalester Admissions, U.S. First-Year Applicants (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at Macalester, 2026-2027:
| Tuition (includes required course materials) | $74,394 |
|---|---|
| Activity fee | $330 |
| Food and housing (on campus) | $18,004 |
| Textbooks and supplies | $104 |
| Computer purchase | $954 |
| Personal expenses | $2,400 |
| Total | $96,186 |
Macalester's 2026-2027 federal cost of attendance for a student living on campus. Its on-campus food and housing figure is an average across campus housing plus some food beyond the meal plan; the billed standard room and meal plan come to $17,430, for a comprehensive fee of $92,154. Travel, $100 to $1,000 depending on your home state, is not included.
Source: Macalester Financial Aid, Tuition and Fees (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $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 incomes | $32,149 |
What first-year, full-time students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from Macalester's aid offer.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Similar schools
Chosen for how close each is to Macalester College on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN · Private21.8% admitted$25,407 average net price
Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA · Private28.1% admitted$43,756 average net price
Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA · Private29% admitted$36,931 average net price
Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY · Private23.8% admitted$32,297 average net price
Fairfield UniversityFairfield, CT · Private25.1% admitted$48,095 average net price
Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.