Affordable Alternatives to Carleton College
Open-data reference.
We found 15 schools structurally similar to Carleton College that cost less. 15 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.
Your School
Northfield, Minnesota · Private Nonprofit
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to Carleton College
Carleton College posts an average net price of $25,407 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with Carleton College across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 15 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.
The maximum possible savings across this list is $12,269, achieved by University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $13,138. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 15 of the 15 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above Carleton College’s $75,525, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $83,054.
The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.
Similar Schools That Cost Less
Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings
Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.
| School | Net Price | Savings | Earnings (10yr) | Graduation | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson College Davidson, NC · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $17,379 | -$8,028 | $81,400 | 91.5% | 81% |
| Haverford College Haverford, PA · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $25,314 | -$93 | $79,966 | 89.5% | 76% |
| Colby College Waterville, ME · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $17,180 | -$8,227 | $80,490 | 89.5% | 75% |
| Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $23,149 | -$2,258 | $80,257 | 93.2% | 71% |
| Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $14,398 | -$11,009 | $82,735 | 95.4% | 69% |
| Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $23,781 | -$1,626 | $94,810 | 94.4% | 67% |
| Williams College Williamstown, MA · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $17,716 | -$7,691 | $88,665 | 95.1% | 66% |
| Emory University Atlanta, GA · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $22,585 | -$2,822 | $80,137 | 91.4% | 53% |
| Belanger School of Nursing Schenectady, NY · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $13,185 | -$12,222 | $79,677 | N/A | 53% |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York, NY · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $13,269 | -$12,138 | $83,847 | 80.7% | 49% |
| Boston University Boston, MA · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $24,402 | -$1,005 | $83,238 | 89.3% | 49% |
| Ohio Northern University Ada, OH · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $24,478 | -$929 | $80,928 | 74.9% | 47% |
| Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $21,786 | -$3,621 | $86,182 | 94.3% | 44% |
| Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing McKees Rocks, PA · Private Nonprofit Better Value | $23,656 | -$1,751 | $79,831 | N/A | 44% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI · Public Better Value | $13,138 | -$12,269 | $83,648 | 93.2% | 42% |
Top Similar Alternatives
Quick picks from the full list — compare any two schools side by side
How We Match Schools
Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.
Only schools with a lower average net price than Carleton College are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.
Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cheaper alternatives to Carleton College?
What is the ROI of attending Carleton College?
Are there schools with better outcomes than Carleton College for less money?
What is the cheapest alternative to Carleton College?
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.