Drake vs. Grinnell

Should I go to Drake University or Grinnell College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Drake or Grinnell is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Drake University vs. Grinnell College comparison
Drake University Grinnell College College 3 College 4
Drake University Grinnell College
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Overview

Drake Grinnell
Location Des Moines, IA Grinnell, IA
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 4,685 1,759
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #149 #55
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drake.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Drake Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $47,564 $60,988
Tuition (Out of State) $47,564 $60,988
Room & Board $11,570 $15,048
Avg Net Price $30,333 $33,467
Avg Grant Aid $31,274 $42,231
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

Drake Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,621 9,997
Admitted 5,796 1,076
Acceptance Rate 67.2% 10.8%
Enrolled % 12.6% 40.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 25/30 31/34
SAT Range 1110/1340 1380/1530
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Drake Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Drake Grinnell
Graduation Rate 75% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,500 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $13,170
Median Loan Payment $268 $136

Diversity

Drake Grinnell
% Men 37% 47%
% Women 63% 53%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 56%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 7% 16%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Drake Grinnell
% In-State 35% 7%
% Out-of-State 63% 72%

Campus

Drake Grinnell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Drake University is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (4,685 students vs. 1,759 students)

Drake vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Drake or Grinnell?

  • Grinnell College is 28.2% more expensive to attend than Drake for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.2% higher at Grinnell than Drake University ($60,988.00 vs. $47,564.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Drake University than Grinnell ($30,333 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 30.1% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($11,570 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drake University than Grinnell College (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 35% larger than aid received Drake University ($42,231 vs. $31,274)

Drake vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Drake or Grinnell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Grinnell or Drake .

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 178 points higher than at Drake (1224)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Drake (27)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Drake (3.7)
  • Drake has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Drake vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drake or Grinnell? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Grinnell and Drake.

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Drake University (88% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Drake University earn on average $9,000 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $12,830 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($13,170 vs. $26,000)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $132 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($136 vs. $268)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Drake students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 84%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/