Macalester College

What Macalester College does

Macalester College is a private nonprofit liberal arts college founded in 1874 and located at 1600 Grand Avenue in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It serves approximately 2,000 undergraduate students drawn from 49 U.S. states and 107 countries, delivering a four-year residential liberal arts education through 40+ majors and 70+ minors, supplemented by Study Away programs, undergraduate research opportunities (including an honors program), and an internship pipeline anchored by 200+ sites within 8 miles of campus and proximity to 17 Fortune 500 companies. The college meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students and reports a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The underlying technology stack is conventional for higher education: a Banner-based student information system surfaced through the 1600grand student portal, a Moodle learning management system, Workday for HR and finance, G Suite for communications, and Cashnet/Flywire for billing and international payments. Marketing and recruitment are supported by a digital admissions platform that includes a Video Viewbook and a 360-degree Virtual Tour, alongside in-person campus visits, regional counselor outreach, and Workshop Wednesdays summer programming. Operations are governed by a Board of Trustees with no parent company or external corporate ownership.

The revenue model combines three streams: tuition and fees (approximately $64,160 for 2024-2025 tuition, with total cost of attendance around $82,000-$86,000 per year), private donations and alumni giving through the Support Mac campaign and reunion events, and investment income from the college's endowment fund. The customer base is individual undergraduate students (B2C), recruited through direct admissions channels including U.S. Admissions, International Admissions, and Early Decision pathways, with applications accepted through both the college's own portal and the Common App.

Name

Macalester College

Legal name

Macalester College

Website

https://macalester.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1874

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Macalester College is a private nonprofit liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota, founded in 1874, serving approximately 2,000 undergraduate students from 49 states and 107 countries through 40+ majors with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Liberal Arts Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Selective/Highly Selective Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAJ)

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• Undergraduate education
• Study abroad programs
• Student internships
• Higher education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from tuition, fees, room and board charged to enrolled students. The college meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students.
2. Private Donations and Alumni Giving: Fundraising from alumni, parents, and supporters through the Support Mac campaign and reunion events.
3. Endowment Returns: Investment returns from the college's endowment fund used to support operations and financial aid.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Macalester College is a private, nonprofit liberal arts college that delivers a four-year residential undergraduate education through more than 40 majors and 70 minors, supported by a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and faculty-led research. The academic program is complemented by structured study abroad (Study Away) programming, an internship network spanning 200+ employer sites within eight miles of campus, and a full tuition and financial aid commitment that meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. Admissions recruitment is delivered through the college's own website, on-campus visits, and a nationwide and international high school counselor network.

Product overview

Macalester College offers a single integrated higher education product centered on undergraduate liberal arts education, delivered through a combination of on-campus instruction and digital platforms. The academic core is supported by the 1600grand student portal (integrating Banner SIS, Cashnet payments, and WSO2 authentication), Moodle learning management system, and specialized recruitment tools including the Video Viewbook and Virtual Tour. Co-curricular offerings include internship placement services leveraging Twin Cities industry partnerships and study abroad programs, which together extend the core educational product beyond traditional classroom instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Programs (Undergraduate Liberal Arts Education) Four-year residential undergraduate liberal arts program offering 40+ majors and 70+ minors, with small classes, faculty-led research, and an honors program. Targets prospective undergraduate students seeking rigorous academic preparation, global perspective, and career readiness.
• Study Away Program International education program enabling undergraduate students to study abroad for extended periods and engage with host communities as part of the Macalester curriculum. Targeted at enrolled undergraduates seeking global perspective.
• Internship Program Career preparation program connecting Macalester undergraduates with internship placements at 200+ employer sites within eight miles of campus, including 17+ Fortune 500 headquarters. Targeted at enrolled students seeking practical work experience during their undergraduate studies.
• Workshop Wednesdays Annual summer workshop series for high school students covering college application topics such as essay writing and Common App completion, facilitated by Macalester admissions counselors. Targeted at prospective applicants preparing college applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% of students complete internships or research projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Xcel EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerXcel Energy provides internship opportunities for Macalester students. One student intern worked on the Advanced Grid Customer Solutions team as a marketing and customer engagement intern, eventually accepting a full-time position after graduation. Supervisor is a Macalester alum (Nikki Caicedo '17).
• Minnesota Valley National Wildlife RefugeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe refuge hosts Macalester students for education internships, where students create lesson plans and assist with teaching programs for local schools.
• TubmanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Minneapolis-based nonprofit providing safety, hope, and healing to the Twin Cities community. Macalester students serve as civil legal advocates working with survivors.
• YourPathminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA St. Paul nonprofit improving access to care for people with substance use issues. Macalester students complete statistics internships supporting data analysis and strategic planning.
• Critical Hit TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA tech startup based in Seattle and Kuala Lumpur. Macalester students intern as software developers working on cross-platform app development using Xamarin.
• Hennepin Energy Recovery CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA garbage incinerator in North Minneapolis visited by students in Psychology of Sustainable Behavior course to learn about environmental justice issues.
• Frogtown FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn urban farm in St. Paul visited by students in Energy and Sustainable Design course to study urban agriculture.
• District Energy Combined Heating and Power FacilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDowntown St. Paul facility toured by students in Energy and Sustainable Design course to learn about energy systems.
• Eureka RecyclingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinneapolis recycling facility visited by students in Energy and Sustainable Design course to learn about waste management and recycling.
• Cooperative Energy FuturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Cities solar garden developer founded by Timothy Den Herder-Thomas '09. Students toured the Ramp A Community Solar Garden.
• Cedar Cultural CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural center hosting Afghan music performances. Students from Political Geographies of South Asia attended a Heart of Afghanistan concert.
• The Lab (Beverage Consulting)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial beverage consulting business in the Twin Cities where Microbiology students learn about microbial applications at commercial scale.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Williams College: Top-ranked private liberal arts college in Massachusetts with residential model, small student-faculty ratio, and selective admissions comparable to Macalester.
• Middlebury College: Private residential liberal arts college in Vermont with strong international focus, study abroad programming, and selective admissions comparable to Macalester.
• Pomona College: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Claremont, California, sharing a top-tier brand position, residential model, and selective undergraduate-only focus.
• Oberlin College: Private liberal arts college in Ohio with a similar combination of strong undergraduate teaching focus and interdisciplinary curriculum.
• Bowdoin College: Private residential liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, comparable in selectivity, four-year undergraduate model, and need-based financial aid commitment.
• Amherst College: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Massachusetts with similar top-tier ranking, residential model, and need-blind admissions with 100% demonstrated need met.
• Bates College: Private residential liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine, with similar selectivity, four-year undergraduate focus, and liberal arts curriculum.
• Grinnell College: Top-ranked private residential liberal arts college in Iowa with strong academic reputation, similar selectivity, and comparable four-year undergraduate model.
• Haverford College: Private, highly selective residential liberal arts college in Pennsylvania with comparable size, mission, and commitment to undergraduate teaching.
• Carleton College: Private, highly selective residential liberal arts college located in Northfield, Minnesota, with similar size, mission, and applicant pool as Macalester.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/macalester
• Facebookfacebook.com/23345490827
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/macalester-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/macalestercollege
• Xx.com/macalester

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Macalester College