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.
#10 in Undergraduate Teaching
#14 in Study Abroad
#18 in Most Innovative
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 201 schools.
#24 Best College Newspaper (The Mac Weekly)
#24 Best College Radio Station(WCMN 91.7fm)
#18 Top 50 Green Colleges
The Best 391 Schools | The Princeton Review
“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.”
Washington Monthly
Washington Monthly’s rankings prioritize social mobility, research, access, affordability, and promoting public service.
#1 Most Diverse College in Minnesota
#7 Best Colleges with No Application Fee
#24 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America
Top 5 Best Neighborhoods to Live in St. Paul (Macalester-Groveland)
Niche.com
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
Author and speaker Jeff Selingo lists Macalester as a Dream School in this guidebook designed to help students and families find schools that will be a good fit. The book highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy priorities around strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging.
Macalester College has been recognized again as a top performer in the 2025 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.
“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
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.