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Carleton College Washington and Lee University of Richmond Macalester College Oberlin UNC Chapel Hill Duke Elon William & Mary Furman Kenyon Emory| Grinnell College | Davidson College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
| Location | Grinnell, IA | Davidson, NC | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,775 | 1,904 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #55 | #35 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | grinnell.edu | davidson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,342 | $59,510 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,342 | $59,510 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,878 | $16,400 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,446 | $26,510 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,782 | $49,355 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 65% |
Admission |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,988 | 7,347 | ||
| Admitted | 1,266 | 1,064 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12.7% | 14.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.1% | 48.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1418/1550 | 1360/1510 | ||
| 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 7, 2026 |
Academics |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 92% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $63,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $13,170 | $17,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $136 | $175 |
Diversity |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 56% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 16% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 8% | 17% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 71% | ||
Campus |
Grinnell | Davidson | ||
| 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
- Davidson College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (1,904 students vs. 1,775 students)
Grinnell vs. Davidson Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Davidson?
- Grinnell College is 8.1% more expensive to attend than Davidson for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $59,510.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.1% higher at Grinnell than Davidson College ($64,342.00 vs. $59,510.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than Grinnell ($26,510 vs. $33,446)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 3.3% lower than costs at Davidson College ($15,878 vs. $16,400)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Davidson College (92% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 7.8% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($49,355 vs. $45,782)
Grinnell vs. Davidson Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Grinnell or Davidson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Davidson or Grinnell .
- The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 47 points higher than at Davidson (1355)
- Incoming Grinnell students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Davidson (31)
- Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Davidson (3.81)
- Davidson has a higher acceptance rate (14.5%) than Grinnell (12.7%)
Grinnell vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Grinnell or Davidson? 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 Davidson and Grinnell.
- The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than Grinnell College (92% vs. 88%)
- Graduates from Davidson College earn on average $4,000 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($63,500 vs. $59,500)
- Grinnell College students graduate with a $3,830 lower median federal student loan debt than Davidson graduates. ($13,170 vs. $17,000)
- Grinnell graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Davidson graduates. ($136 vs. $175)
- More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/