One has a US News Rank of #10 and has been higher. One is #50 and outside of the CC, few have heard of (although you can say the same for Carleton).
I think when it comes to finding the full payers, pedigree/rank reigns supreme, even if all the “extra” items that might make the day to day experience better, are included.
Families and kid see rank. If they’re rank obsessed, they’ll never even get close to #40 in the magazine/website - they’ll have discarded it before then.
The reality is - St. Olaf offers money because they need to in order to get butts in seat.