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Williams Carleton College Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Dartmouth Macalester College Brown Vassar Oberlin Harvard Hamilton College| Grinnell College | Amherst College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
| Location | Grinnell, IA | Amherst, MA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Town Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 1,759 | 1,898 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #55 | #16 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | grinnell.edu | amherst.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,988 | $63,500 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,988 | $63,500 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,048 | $16,750 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,467 | $21,367 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $42,231 | $58,693 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 91% | 58% |
Admission |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,997 | 14,864 | ||
| Admitted | 1,076 | 1,079 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 10.8% | 7.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 40.6% | 43.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1380/1530 | 1420/1550 | ||
| 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 | Jan 2, 2025 |
Academics |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $82,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $13,170 | $12,975 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $136 | $134 |
Diversity |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 48% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 52% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 56% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 16% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 4% |
Students |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 7% | 13% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 72% | 74% | ||
Campus |
Grinnell | Amherst | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Amherst College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,759 students)
Grinnell vs. Amherst Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Amherst?
- Amherst College is 4.1% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $60,988.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at Amherst than Grinnell College ($63,500.00 vs. $60,988.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Grinnell ($21,367 vs. $33,467)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 11.3% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,048 vs. $16,750)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Amherst College (91% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 39% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($58,693 vs. $42,231)
Grinnell vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Grinnell or Amherst? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Amherst or Grinnell .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 49 points higher than at Grinnell (1402)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Grinnell (32)
- Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Grinnell (3.89)
- Grinnell has a higher acceptance rate (10.8%) than Amherst (7.3%)
Grinnell vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Grinnell or Amherst? 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 Amherst and Grinnell.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Grinnell College (96% vs. 88%)
- Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $22,500 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $59,500)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $195 lower median federal student loan debt than Grinnell graduates. ($12,975 vs. $13,170)
- Amherst graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Grinnell graduates. ($134 vs. $136)
- More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/