Carleton College vs. Reed College

Carleton is meaningfully harder to get into. A 4.2-percentage-point gap between 20.4% (Carleton) and 24.6% (Reed) reflects real selectivity differences. Reed is the more realistic target for a balanced college list.

Carleton draws stronger test scores. Mid-50% SAT range tops out at 1560 vs 1520 at the other school. Differences in test profile usually reflect a school's STEM-vs-humanities mix and the self-selection of applicants, not raw academic quality.

Carleton is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $7,606 per year, $30,424 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

Carleton graduates earn $12,598 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Reed grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Carleton is substantially larger with 2,086 undergrads vs 1,320 at Reed. Bigger universities have more major options and broader research opportunities; smaller ones offer more access to faculty and tighter-knit communities.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Carleton is in Northfield, Minnesota; Reed is in Portland, OR. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Carleton's graduation rate is meaningfully higher (89.6% vs 71.5% 6-year completion). Graduation gaps at this level usually reflect support-system differences, financial aid adequacy, or degree-flexibility — worth verifying with each school's first-year retention and major-change policies.