Grinnell vs. Bates

Should I go to Grinnell College or Bates College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Grinnell or Bates 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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Grinnell College vs. Bates College comparison
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Grinnell College Bates College
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Overview

Grinnell Bates
Location Grinnell, IA Lewiston, ME
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,759 1,790
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #43
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu bates.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Bates
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $61,066
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $61,066
Room & Board $15,048 $17,224
Avg Net Price $33,467 $27,491
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $51,414
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 36%

Admission

Grinnell Bates
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 8,273
Admitted 1,076 1,137
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 13.7%
Enrolled % 40.6% 45.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 31/34 32/33
SAT Range 1380/1530 1420/1520
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 1, 2025

Academics

Grinnell Bates
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Bates
Graduation Rate 88% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $75,700
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $14,450
Median Loan Payment $136 $149

Diversity

Grinnell Bates
% Men 47% 47%
% Women 53% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 71%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Grinnell Bates
% In-State 7% 9%
% Out-of-State 72% 81%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bates College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (1,790 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Bates Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Bates?

  • Bates College is 0.1% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($61,066.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at Bates than Grinnell College ($61,066.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bates College than Grinnell ($27,491 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 14.5% lower than costs at Bates College ($15,048 vs. $17,224)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Bates College (91% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bates College students is 21.7% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($51,414 vs. $42,231)

Grinnell vs. Bates Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bates has a higher acceptance rate (13.7%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. Bates Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grinnell or Bates? 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 Bates and Grinnell.

  • The graduation rate at Bates is higher than Grinnell College (92% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Bates College earn on average $16,200 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($75,700 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $1,280 lower median federal student loan debt than Bates graduates. ($13,170 vs. $14,450)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Bates graduates. ($136 vs. $149)
  • More Bates graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 87%)

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