Grinnell vs. Cornell

Should I go to Grinnell College or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Grinnell or Cornell 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. Cornell University comparison
Grinnell College Cornell University College 3 College 4
Grinnell College Cornell University
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Overview

Grinnell Cornell
Location Grinnell, IA Ithaca, NY
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,759 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Cornell
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $62,456
Room & Board $15,048 $16,988
Avg Net Price $33,467 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 51%

Admission

Grinnell Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 69,195
Admitted 1,076 5,168
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 7.5%
Enrolled % 40.6% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1380/1530 1470/1570
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 Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Cornell
Graduation Rate 88% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $136 $124

Diversity

Grinnell Cornell
% Men 47% 47%
% Women 53% 53%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 41%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 16% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Grinnell Cornell
% In-State 7% 33%
% Out-of-State 72% 55%

Campus

Grinnell Cornell
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

  • Cornell University is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 2.4% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at Cornell than Grinnell College ($62,456.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Grinnell ($26,060 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 12.9% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,048 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Cornell University (91% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 28.4% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($54,219 vs. $42,231)

Grinnell vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 26 points higher than at Grinnell (1402)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Grinnell (3.89)
  • Grinnell has a higher acceptance rate (10.8%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Grinnell vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Grinnell College (93% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $38,900 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $59,500)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $1,170 lower median federal student loan debt than Grinnell graduates. ($12,000 vs. $13,170)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Grinnell graduates. ($124 vs. $136)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 87%)

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