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Princeton Georgetown Penn NYU Carleton College Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale Dartmouth| Grinnell College | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Grinnell | Cornell | ||
| Location | Grinnell, IA | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,775 | 26,264 | ||
| 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) | $64,342 | $65,204 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,342 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,878 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,446 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,782 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 51% |
Admission |
Grinnell | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,988 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 1,266 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12.7% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.1% | 66% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1418/1550 | 1480/1560 | ||
| 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 2, 2026 |
Academics |
Grinnell | Cornell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 9:1 | ||
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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 | 2% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 20% | ||
| 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 | 8% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 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 (26,264 students vs. 1,775 students)
Grinnell vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 1.3% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $64,342.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.3% higher at Cornell than Grinnell College ($65,204.00 vs. $64,342.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Grinnell ($26,455 vs. $33,446)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 16.9% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,878 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Cornell University (92% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 23.9% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($56,741 vs. $45,782)
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 (12.7%) than Cornell (8.2%)
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/