Outcomes-based program rankings.
Program outcomes at Macalester College vary significantly by field of study. These rankings evaluate each program by post-graduation earnings, debt burden, and return on investment — not prestige or reputation.
Use this analysis to compare programs and understand which fields deliver the strongest outcomes.
Analyzing 16 programs with available earnings data.
recent graduates
This bar shows the range of median earnings across all majors at this school.
The tables below compare programs in each category by earnings, rank, debt, and cohort size.
These sections represent the complete set of ranked undergraduate programs at Macalester College.
Artificial Intelligence. leads engineering & technology with 104K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence. | — | $104,215 | — | 43 |
Program rankings are derived entirely from post-graduation outcomes. We do not use reputation surveys, selectivity metrics, or SAT scores. This means some programs may rank differently than you'd expect based on prestige — and that's intentional.
Median earnings 10 years post-enrollment
Debt burden relative to earnings
Institutional contribution to outcomes
Resources, cohort size, and graduation rates
Trajectory from early to mid-career
Algebra and Number Theory. leads sciences & mathematics with 52K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra and Number Theory. | — | $52,107★ | — | 60 |
| Biology, General. | — | $47,854 | — | 43 |
| Neuroanatomy. | — | $45,450 | — | 27 |
| Analytical Chemistry.Small sample | — | $29,685 | — | 17 |
Applied Economics. leads social sciences & policy with 84K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Economics. | — | $83,794★ | — | 55 |
| American Government and Politics (United States). | — | $47,677 | — | 36 |
| Geographic Information Science and Cartography. | — | $41,857 | — | 22 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience. | — | $38,027 | — | 30 |
Communication and Media Studies, Other. leads communications with 22K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication and Media Studies, Other.Small sample | — | $21,508 | — | 9 |
Creative Writing. leads humanities & arts with 29K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Writing.Small sample | — | $29,487★ | — | 14 |
| English Language and Literature, General.Small sample | — | $15,817 | — | 8 |
Education, General. leads education with 33K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education, General.Small sample | — | $33,281 | — | 14 |
Environmental Science. leads agriculture & environment with 30K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science.Small sample | — | $29,559 | — | 18 |
International/Globalization Studies. leads other & interdisciplinary with 43K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International/Globalization Studies. | — | $42,520★ | — | 32 |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies.Small sample | — | $33,993 | — | 7 |
Why rankings may differ by program: A university's nursing program and business program can have entirely different outcome profiles. Our methodology surfaces these differences so you can evaluate programs — not just institutions.
