Grinnell vs. Dakota Wesleyan University

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

 Grinnell Dakota Wesleyan University
Location Grinnell, IA Mitchell, SD
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,775 886
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu dwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Grinnell Dakota Wesleyan University
Tuition (In State) $64,342 $31,700
Tuition (Out of State) $64,342 $31,700
Room & Board $15,878 $7,600
Avg Net Price $33,446 $21,901
Avg Grant Aid $45,782 $20,598
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

 Grinnell Dakota Wesleyan University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,988 1,153
Admitted 1,266 839
Acceptance Rate 12.7% 72.8%
Enrolled % 36.1% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.36
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 18/24
SAT Range 1418/1550 950/1420
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Aug 27, 2026

Academics

 Grinnell Dakota Wesleyan University
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Grinnell Dakota Wesleyan University
Graduation Rate 88% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $38,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $26,533
Median Loan Payment $136 $274

Diversity

 Grinnell Dakota Wesleyan University
% Men 2% 7%
% Women 2% 6%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 88%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 16% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Grinnell Dakota Wesleyan University
% In-State 8% 61%
% Out-of-State 69% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Grinnell College is larger than than Dakota Wesleyan University based on total student enrollment (1,775 students vs. 886 students)

Grinnell vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Dakota Wesleyan University?

  • Grinnell College is 103% more expensive to attend than Dakota Wesleyan University for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $31,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103% higher at Grinnell than Dakota Wesleyan University ($64,342.00 vs. $31,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota Wesleyan University than Grinnell ($21,901 vs. $33,446)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota Wesleyan University are 108.9% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($7,600 vs. $15,878)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota Wesleyan University than Grinnell College (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 122.3% larger than aid received Dakota Wesleyan University ($45,782 vs. $20,598)

Grinnell vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 420 points higher than at Dakota Wesleyan University (982)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (3.36)
  • Dakota Wesleyan University has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Grinnell (12.7%)

Grinnell vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grinnell or Dakota Wesleyan University? 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 Dakota Wesleyan University and Grinnell.

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Dakota Wesleyan University (88% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $21,300 more per year than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $38,200)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $13,363 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates. ($13,170 vs. $26,533)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $138 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates. ($136 vs. $274)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota Wesleyan University students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 71%)

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