Our Rankings
A top liberal arts college
Macalester is a top-ranked liberal arts college in the heart of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Students often choose Mac for its vibrant location and rigorous academic programs.
We understand that rankings can be an important part of your college search, so here are some of the things about Macalester that renowned publications have chosen to highlight.
#26 in National Liberal Arts Colleges
#25 in Best Value Schools
#14 for Study Abroad
#17 in Undergraduate Teaching
Top College Rankings | US News
US News & World Report has again ranked Macalester College among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation out of 210 schools.
#14 of Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact (Private Schools)
The Best 390 Colleges | The Princeton Review
#19 Best College Newspaper (The Mac Weekly)
#33 Top 50 Green Colleges
“Students looking for the best of both worlds—a small college in a metropolitan location—will be keen on Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.”
#16 among U.S. four-year liberal arts colleges
Washington Monthly
Washington Monthly’s rankings prioritize social mobility, research, and promoting public service.
#1 Best Colleges in Minnesota
Niche.com
#4 Best Colleges with No Application Fee
#21 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America
#1 Best Neighborhoods to Live in St. Paul (Macalester-Groveland)
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MACALESTER
Students at Macalester College get the best of both worlds—the inspiring academics of a leading liberal arts education combined with the engaging experiences of the Twin Cities. Quickly learn more about Macalester, its values, the academic program, and our campus in the city.
ONE OF AMERICA’S BEST COLLEGES
Money
Evaluated within a pool of 2,400 schools, Money ranked Macalester four-and-a-half stars as evaluated by its quality of education, affordability, and outcomes.
#5 Best Hidden Ivies
The Top 10 Hidden Ivies | The College Gazette
Macalester College is a “…liberal arts college located not in a small town but a large Midwestern metropolitan area. This gives its students ample opportunities to take part in community service projects and internships.”
5 out of 5
Campus Pride Index
“Macalester offers a number of programs, services, and practices that are aimed at raising faculty, staff, and students’ intercultural knowledge and competence when it comes to gender and sexuality issues.”
Gold Rating and #2 Sustainable Campus Index
Macalester College has been recognized again as a top performer in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index, receiving a Gold rating and the #2 ranking among Baccalaureate Institutions from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The college earned its top performer status by incorporating sustainability into the curriculum and faculty research, working to engage the campus community outside of the classroom, and adapting operations and policies to promote waste reduction, reduce carbon emissions, and facilitate the production of ecosystem services.
Number 1 Best Places to Bike in the U.S. (Large City)
PeopleForBikes
Among 69 large cities from a pool of nearly 2,400 cities overall, Minneapolis ranks #1 for bikable large cities, with Saint Paul drafting in the #4 spot. Safe speeds, protected bike lanes, network connections, and data are some of the criteria contributing to the ranking.
Fiske Guide to Colleges
“A small school that punches above its weight, Macalester offers an internationalist and multiculturalist view of the world. Mac has the progressive capital city of St. Paul and a distinctive Scottish flavor.”
Other rankings in the news
Introduce Yourself
We’d love to learn more about you—and tell you a little more about us. So if you’re considering Macalester, let us know. We’ll send you information about life at Mac, and keep you up to date on upcoming admissions visits and important deadlines.