Grinnell vs. Davidson

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

Grinnell Davidson
Location Grinnell, IA Davidson, NC
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,759 1,927
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #37
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu davidson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Davidson
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $56,550
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $56,550
Room & Board $15,048 $15,750
Avg Net Price $33,467 $26,704
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $46,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 65%

Admission

Grinnell Davidson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 6,479
Admitted 1,076 1,098
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 16.9%
Enrolled % 40.6% 49.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 31/34 31/33
SAT Range 1380/1530 1350/1500
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 7, 2025

Academics

Grinnell Davidson
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)

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 47% 47%
% Women 53% 53%
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 7% 17%
% Out-of-State 72% 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 (1,927 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Davidson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Davidson?

  • Grinnell College is 7.8% more expensive to attend than Davidson for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $56,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Grinnell than Davidson College ($60,988.00 vs. $56,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than Grinnell ($26,704 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 4.7% lower than costs at Davidson College ($15,048 vs. $15,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Davidson College (91% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 10.1% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($46,496 vs. $42,231)

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 (16.9%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

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/