Quad
Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN · Private nonprofit

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Computer Science (18% of graduates). 8 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 89% of colleges. 87% of faculty are full-time. Spends $40,626 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

517 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 51% of graduates; 29 programs in 15 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Computer Science 11.070118% 93
  2. Biology/Biological Sciences, General 26.010111% 56
  3. Chemistry, General 40.05017.7% 40
  4. International Relations and Affairs 45.09017.2% 37
  5. Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 42.27997.2% 37

Fastest-growing field: Computer science, 10% → 18% of graduates since 2014–15 (93 graduates in 2024–25).

Source:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2014–15 to 2024–25About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Computer Science$88,132 1 yr out

    1 year after completion: $88,132

    4 years after completion: Too few graduates to report

    4 years out, Pell: $121,852 · Non-Pell: $115,944(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $18,254 · 139 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Economics$87,193 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $66,567

    4 years after completion$87,193
    National median: $82,686Above typical

    Median federal debt: $19,500 · 71 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Political Science and Government$53,975 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $29,858

    4 years after completion$53,975
    National median: $63,293Below typical

    Median federal debt: $18,700

  4. Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$40,371 1 yr out

    1 year after completion: $40,371

    4 years after completion: Too few graduates to report

    Median federal debt: Too few graduates to report · 25 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Research and Experimental Psychology$39,238 1 yr out

    1 year after completion: $39,238

    4 years after completion: Too few graduates to report

    Median federal debt: $16,700 · 72 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college8 to 1
8 to 1
← Fewer students per facultyfewer students per faculty member than 89% of 1,892More students per faculty →

The college also reports 7.9 to 1 in its Common Data Set (1,958 students, 249 faculty).

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Class sizes

72%

of classes have fewer than 20 students; 0% have 50 or more

Under 20 students 20 or moreStudents per class section
Undergraduate class sections by number of students
StudentssectionsShare
2–95617%
10–1917955%
20–296620%
30–39175%
40–4993%
50–9910%
100+00%

This counts class sections, not students: a lecture of 300 is one section, so a student is more likely to sit in a large class than the share of sections suggests. Labs and discussion sections are counted separately and left out here.

Programs & curriculum

  • Accelerated program
  • Cross-registration
  • Double major
  • Dual enrollment
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Student-designed major
  • Study abroad
  • Undergraduate research

Requires coursework in arts, English composition, a foreign language, physical education, humanities, intensive writing, a natural science, and social science.

Full-time faculty87%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$125,636

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other private nonprofit colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable.

Instruction spending per student$40,626
$40,626
← Lessmore than 97% of 1,199More →
Endowment per student$629,894
$629,894
← Lessmore than 96% of 1,065More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)