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Macalester College St Olaf Oberlin Kenyon Hamilton College Middlebury Pomona WUSTL Haverford College Colgate Emory Vassar| Grinnell College | Carleton College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
| Location | Grinnell, IA | Northfield, MN | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 1,775 | 2,069 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #55 | #42 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | grinnell.edu | carleton.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,342 | $65,043 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,342 | $65,043 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,878 | $16,710 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,446 | $29,434 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,782 | $51,916 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 57% |
Admission |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,988 | 6,464 | ||
| Admitted | 1,266 | 1,440 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12.7% | 22.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.1% | 37.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 32/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1418/1550 | 1430/1550 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $65,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 92% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $13,170 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $136 | $201 |
Diversity |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 56% | 63% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 16% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 8% | 21% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 67% | ||
Campus |
Grinnell | Carleton College | ||
| 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
- Carleton College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (2,069 students vs. 1,775 students)
Grinnell vs. Carleton College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Carleton College?
- Carleton College is 1.1% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($65,043.00 vs. $64,342.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.1% higher at Carleton College than Grinnell College ($65,043.00 vs. $64,342.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than Grinnell ($29,434 vs. $33,446)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 5.2% lower than costs at Carleton College ($15,878 vs. $16,710)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Carleton College (92% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 13.4% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($51,916 vs. $45,782)
Grinnell vs. Carleton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Grinnell or Carleton College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Carleton College or Grinnell .
- The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 2 points higher than at Carleton College (1400)
- Incoming Grinnell students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Carleton College (31)
- Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Grinnell (3.89)
- Carleton College has a higher acceptance rate (22.3%) than Grinnell (12.7%)
Grinnell vs. Carleton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Grinnell or Carleton College? 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 Carleton College and Grinnell.
- The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Grinnell College (93% vs. 88%)
- Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $6,100 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $59,500)
- Grinnell College students graduate with a $6,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Carleton College graduates. ($13,170 vs. $19,500)
- Grinnell graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Carleton College graduates. ($136 vs. $201)
- More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/