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 1,775 30,177
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #351
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Grinnell ISU
Tuition (In State) $64,342 $8,982
Tuition (Out of State) $64,342 $26,168
Room & Board $15,878 $9,726
Avg Net Price $33,446 $17,354
Avg Grant Aid $45,782 $10,718
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 77%

Admission

 Grinnell ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,988 22,995
Admitted 1,266 20,496
Acceptance Rate 12.7% 89.1%
Enrolled % 36.1% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 21/28
SAT Range 1418/1550 1110/1350
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, 2026

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 2% 8%
% Women 2% 8%
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 8% 52%
% Out-of-State 69% 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 (30,177 students vs. 1,775 students)

Grinnell vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or ISU?

  • Grinnell College is 616.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $8,982.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 145.9% higher at Grinnell than Iowa State University ($64,342.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Grinnell ($17,354 vs. $33,446)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 63.3% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($9,726 vs. $15,878)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Iowa State University (92% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 327.2% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($45,782 vs. $10,718)

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 (89.1%) than Grinnell (12.7%)

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/