Quad

Head-to-head

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Bowdoin's yield is 19 pts higher than Carleton's

    Yield rate
  2. 2

    Bowdoin is 2.6× more selective than Carleton

    Acceptance rate
  3. 3

    Bowdoin grads earn $7.2K more ten years out than Carleton's ($82,735 vs. $75,525)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  4. 4

    Bowdoin has 3 pts more first-gen students than Carleton (19% vs. 16%)

    First-generation students
  5. 5

    Bowdoin graduates 3 pts more of its students than Carleton (94% vs. 91%)

    Graduation rate
  6. 6

    Carleton is more diverse (index 0.70 vs. 0.67)

    Diversity index

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Who's hardest to get into

Bowdoin admits 6.8%, Carleton 18%; Bowdoin's yield is higher, at 54%.

Acceptance rate
Bowdoin6.8%
Carleton18%
Quad's selectivity
  • BowdoinUltra selective
  • CarletonHighly selective
SAT middle 50%Axis 1400–1600
Bowdoin
1470–1540
Carleton
1460–1530
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • BowdoinRigor, GPA, and rank very important
  • CarletonRigor, GPA, and rank very important

Who's on each campus

Carleton is a bit larger than Bowdoin (2,086 vs. 1,873 undergrads); both have the same Pell share, 17%.

Undergrads
Bowdoin1.9K
Carleton2.1K
Pell Grant share
Bowdoin17%
Carleton17%

Majors and faculty

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics leads at Bowdoin, and Computer Science at Carleton; Carleton has 8 students per faculty member to Bowdoin's 9.

Students per faculty member
Bowdoin9 to 1
Carleton8 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • BowdoinEconometrics and Quantitative Economics16%
  • CarletonComputer Science18%

What each costs

Bowdoin and Carleton cost about the same a year on average; grants cover the same share of the price at both, 40%.

Average cost, all students
Bowdoin$50.8K
Carleton$51.2K
Aid generosity
Bowdoin40%
Carleton40%

What each pays off

Bowdoin's former students earn more, a median $82.7K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 90% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Bowdoin$82.7K
Carleton$75.5K
Graduation rate
Bowdoin94%
Carleton91%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; Bowdoin got more selective while Carleton held steady.

Applications, 10-year change
  • BowdoinGrowing+91%
  • CarletonGrowing+13%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why