After Carleton College: graduation, pay and debt
Northfield, Minnesota · Private · 2,086 undergrads
91% of Carleton College students finish within six years, the typical student earns $82,742 ten years after starting and graduates leave with $18,000 in federal loans at the median.
The short answers
$82.7k
median pay 10 years after starting college.
91%
finish within six years.
83%
finish in four years.
97%
of first-years come back for year two.
$18k
median federal debt at graduation.
92%
of borrowers were paying down their loans three years after leaving.
All the federal numbers
Finishing
Finished in four yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
83%
Finished within six yearsIPEDS, fall 2023
91%
First-years who came back for year twoCollege Scorecard, fall 2024
97%
Men who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
90%
Women who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017
93%
Students in that six-year groupIPEDS, students who started in 2017
522
Earned a degree or certificate here within eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
92%
Still enrolled here after eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
6%
Students in that eight-year groupIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015
492
Pay after college
Median pay 6 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard
$60,458
Median pay 10 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard, 2022-23
$82,742
Earning more than $25,000 six years after startingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
69%
Debt and paying it back
Median federal debt, students who graduatedCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
$18,000
Median federal debt, everyone who borrowed (finished or not)College Scorecard, earlier release
$15,960
Median federal debt, students with a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$14,983
Median federal debt, students without a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release
$16,254
Paying down their loans 3 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, 2024-25
92%
Paying down their loans 5 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
93%
Paying down their loans 7 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release
93%
Where these numbers come from
- Admit rate and applicants: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- GPA, early rounds and wait list: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Cost, pay and debt: College Scorecard, 2024-25 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Test rule: carleton.edu, fall 2027 (checked Nov 2, 2026)
Updated Nov 2, 2026Spot a mistake?How we get our numbers