Carthage College Enrollment Statistics: A Comprehensive Overview
Carthage College, a private institution founded in 1847, offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs. This article delves into the college's enrollment statistics, providing a detailed analysis of student demographics, admissions, costs, and graduation rates. Ranked #37 in Regional Universities Midwest and #20 in Best Colleges for Veterans in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges, Carthage College continues to attract a diverse student body.
General Information
Carthage College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,642 as of fall 2023. The campus spans 80 acres, and the college maintains a student-faculty ratio of 14:1, which allows for personalized attention. The school operates on a 4-1-4 academic calendar and accepts the Common Application, with a test-optional admissions policy. The tuition and fees amount to $38,750. A significant 73% of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, with the average net price for federal loan recipients being $26,257. The four-year graduation rate stands at 52%, and six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $46,116.
Admissions Overview
Acceptance Rate
In 2023, Carthage College's undergraduate acceptance rate was 84.1%. Out of 8,044 applications received, 6,769 students were admitted. This reflects a slightly less selective admissions process, providing many students with the opportunity to attend. The acceptance rate in 2022 was 81.8%, indicating a slight increase in selectivity in 2023.
SAT Scores
16% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications in 2023. While the data provides the submission percentage, the specific average SAT scores for admitted students are not provided within the given text.
GPA
The average GPA at Carthage College is 3.3, suggesting that the college admits students with a mix of grades, including some A's and B's.
Read also: A Guide to the Carthage Scholarship
Student Body
Total Enrollment
For the academic year 2023-2024, Carthage College enrolled 2,771 students, with 2,642 undergraduates and 129 graduate students. This indicates a substantial focus on undergraduate education. The total enrollment has seen fluctuations over the past decade.
Gender Distribution
The student body consists of 1,231 male and 1,540 female students, resulting in a male-to-female ratio of approximately 44:56. This indicates a slightly higher representation of female students.
Race and Ethnicity
The racial and ethnic composition of the student body is as follows:
- White: 1,839
- Hispanic or Latino: 434
- Black or African American: 187
- Two or More Races: 114
- Asian: 61
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 10
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 4
This data shows that the majority of students are White, followed by Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American students.
Age Distribution
The age distribution of Carthage College students varies. There are 14 students under 18 years old and 3 students over 65 years old. The majority of students are under 25 years old, with 2,646 students in this age group.
Read also: Carthage Dance Curriculum
Enrollment Trends
Changes Over Time
The student population at Carthage College has experienced changes over the past decade. The number of students has decreased by 207 over the past decade. The percentage of undergraduate students is 95.34%, which has decreased by 245 over the last 10 years, and the graduate student population increased by 38.
Undergraduate vs. Graduate Enrollment
The undergraduate enrollment constitutes the majority of the student body. Over the last 10 years, the average number of undergraduate students has been 2,702, with 2,642 students attending in the 2023-2024 academic year. The average number of graduate students over the last 10 years is 112, where 129 students are attending the Graduate school for the academic year 2023-2024.
Race and Ethnicity Trends
The percentage of White students is 66.37%, a decrease from 73.77% 10 years ago. Meanwhile, the percentages of other racial and ethnic groups have seen some increases, reflecting a gradual diversification of the student body.
Costs and Financial Aid
Tuition and Fees
The median undergraduate tuition at Carthage College is $36,500, which is $7,220 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).
Average Net Price
After factoring in grants and loans, the average net price for students is $24,962. This reflects the actual cost students pay after receiving financial aid. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Carthage College grew by 4.76%.
Read also: Financial Aid at Carthage
Financial Aid
In 2023, 96% of undergraduate students received financial aid through grants, while 83% received financial aid through loans. This indicates that a significant proportion of students rely on financial aid to afford their education.
Other Expenses
The average yearly cost of room and board at Carthage College was $12,648 in 2023, a 2% increase from 2022. The cost of books and supplies was $1,200, remaining unchanged from the previous year.
Academic Outcomes
Graduation Rate
The four-year graduation rate at Carthage College is 52%. In 2023, approximately 61% of students completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e., 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 68% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 69% within 200%. The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Carthage College is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate).
Degrees Awarded
In 2023, Carthage College awarded 822 degrees across all undergraduate and graduate programs. Women received 60.2% of these degrees, while men received 39.8%. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was White, with 582 degrees awarded, 5.6 times more than the next closest group, Hispanic or Latino (104 degrees).
The most specialized majors, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Visual & Performing Arts (98 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (29 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (17 degrees).
Post-Graduation Outcomes
Six years after graduation, the median salary for Carthage College graduates is $46,116.
Campus Life
Full-Time vs. Part-Time Enrollment
The majority of students at Carthage College are enrolled full-time. In 2023, 97% of students were enrolled full-time, with 2,688 full-time students and 83 part-time students.
Retention Rate
The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Carthage College was 82%.
Endowment and Financial Operations
Endowment
Carthage College has an endowment valued at nearly $149 million as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was $11.4 million (7.67%).
Salary Expenditure
In 2023, Carthage College had a total salary expenditure of $81.3 million.
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