Macalester College Acceptance Rate
Saint Paul, Minnesota · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 8,099
- Admitted
- 2,285
- Yield
- 22.7%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Macalester College's acceptance rate has fallen from 36.3% in 2014–15 to 28.2% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 6,463 to 8,099 (+25%) over that period.
Its 28.2% rate makes Macalester College more selective than about 93% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 33 tracked Minnesota schools, it is more selective than about 94%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (30.4% for women vs 25.4% for men, a 5-point gap). Macalester College has been test-optional since 2021–22. Of admitted students, 22.7% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 6,463 | 2,349 | 36.3% | 541 |
| 2015–16 | 6,030 | 2,353 | 39% | 583 |
| 2016–17 | 5,946 | 2,206 | 37.1% | 506 |
| 2017–18 | 5,900 | 2,394 | 40.6% | 543 |
| 2018–19 | 5,985 | 2,468 | 41.2% | 621 |
| 2019–20 | 6,598 | 2,129 | 32.3% | 502 |
| 2020–21 | 6,373 | 2,466 | 38.7% | 547 |
| 2021–22 | 9,046 | 2,828 | 31.3% | 601 |
| 2022–23 | 8,434 | 2,397 | 28.4% | 552 |
| 2023–24 | 8,099 | 2,285 | 28.2% | 518 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 4,578 | 1,391 | 30.4% |
| Men | 3,521 | 894 | 25.4% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 680–750 | 30% |
| SAT Math | 670–760 | |
| ACT Composite | 30–33 | 28% |
How Macalester College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Macalester College's acceptance rate?
Macalester College's acceptance rate is 28.2% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (2,285 admitted of 8,099 applicants).
Is Macalester College test optional?
Macalester College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Macalester College?
Macalester College received 8,099 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 2,285.
What SAT score do you need for Macalester College?
Admitted students at Macalester College typically scored 680–750 on SAT Reading/Writing and 670–760 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Macalester College getting harder to get into?
Macalester College has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 36.3% in 2014–15 to 28.2% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.macalester.edu/.