Admissions data checked October 9, 2026 by Florida Test Prep.
Carleton College reports a middle 50% SAT of 1460 to 1530 (enrolled, fall 2025). We use 1500 as a first planning target, then adjust it to the student's diagnostic and timeline. It is not an admission requirement or a guarantee.
| Middle 50% SAT | 1460 to 1530 (enrolled, fall 2025) |
| Middle 50% ACT | 32 to 35 |
| Acceptance rate | 21.8% (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26, 6,796 applicants) |
| Testing for 2026-27 | Test optional for 2026-27 |
| Type | Private university |
Source: Carleton official admissions data. A middle 50% describes the central half of the reported group, not a cutoff.
Only 39.4% of Carleton's enrolled fall 2025 class submitted an SAT score, so this range reflects a minority self-selected group, not the whole class.
| School | Middle 50% SAT | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|
| Carleton College | 1460 to 1530 | 21.8% |
| University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 1350 to 1490 | 79.7% |
| Macalester College | 1350 to 1480 | Not reported |
| St. Olaf College | 1320 to 1440 | Not reported |
| University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) | 1170 to 1360 | Not reported |
| University of Minnesota Duluth | 1180 to 1340 | 89.1% |
Cohorts differ by school (admitted vs enrolled, and year). See every school with its cohort and source on SAT Scores for Minnesota Colleges.
Minnesota has no statewide SAT or ACT cutoff scholarship; the state's primary aid program, the Minnesota State Grant, is strictly need-based with no test score component, so score-tied money in Minnesota comes from individual universities' own automatic merit grids.
Winona State Outstanding Academic Honors Award: $3,500 per year for up to 8 consecutive semesters; requires top 5% class rank or a 3.90 GPA, plus a 32 ACT or 1420 SAT.
Winona State President's Honor Scholarship (top tier): $2,500 per year, renewable with a 3.50 cumulative GPA; requires top 5% class rank and a 3.90 GPA, plus a 28 ACT or 1260 SAT.
The full rules, deadlines and class years are on our Minnesota SAT prep page.
| College | State | Middle 50% SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth College | New Hampshire | 1440 to 1550 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 1440 to 1550 |
| Middlebury College | Vermont | 1450 to 1530 |
| University of Notre Dame | Indiana | 1460 to 1540 |
A score that is competitive at Carleton lands in the same part of the range at these schools. Cohorts differ by school, so read each page's notes before comparing.
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Which of these numbers is your teen's target? Pick the Minnesota colleges on their list and get a target score and the gap from today's score in under a minute.
Find my teen's target scoreThere is no published minimum; the middle half of the reported group scored 1460 to 1530. A score at or above 1530 puts a student in the top quarter of that group. A score near 1460 is within the range, and grades, coursework and the rest of the application still decide the outcome.
Yes. Carleton lists its policy as: Test optional for 2026-27. A score inside or above the range can still strengthen an application, and some scholarships and programs use scores separately.
21.8% (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26, 6,796 applicants). Rates vary by program and residency, so read the overall figure as context, not a personal prediction.
No. A middle 50% is a description of last year's group, not a cutoff in either direction. It tells you where a score is competitive, which is the useful part for planning test dates.
Want to know what your teen needs for Carleton? Their target, their gap and the weeks to close it are what we map in the free Strategy Session.
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