Grinnell vs. ISU

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

Grinnell ISU
Location Grinnell, IA Ames, IA
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,759 29,969
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell ISU
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $25,162
Room & Board $15,048 $9,358
Avg Net Price $33,467 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 80%

Admission

Grinnell ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 21,919
Admitted 1,076 19,776
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 90.2%
Enrolled % 40.6% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 21/28
SAT Range 1380/1530 1090/1350
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

Academics

Grinnell ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Grinnell ISU
Graduation Rate 88% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $136 $246

Diversity

Grinnell ISU
% Men 47% 55%
% Women 53% 45%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 76%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Grinnell ISU
% In-State 7% 52%
% Out-of-State 72% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or ISU?

  • Grinnell College is 602.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 142.4% higher at Grinnell than Iowa State University ($60,988.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Grinnell ($15,310 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 60.8% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($9,358 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Iowa State University (91% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 282.4% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($42,231 vs. $11,043)

Grinnell vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 260 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Iowa State University (88% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $5,800 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $53,700)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $10,698 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($13,170 vs. $23,868)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($136 vs. $246)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 74%)

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