Grinnell vs. Lawrence

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

Grinnell Lawrence
Location Grinnell, IA Appleton, WI
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,759 1,426
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #207
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu lawrence.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Lawrence
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $53,667
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $53,667
Room & Board $15,048 $11,520
Avg Net Price $33,467 $26,368
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $40,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 100%

Admission

Grinnell Lawrence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 2,943
Admitted 1,076 2,127
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 72.3%
Enrolled % 40.6% 17.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.52
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 27/32
SAT Range 1380/1530 1210/1460
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 15, 2025

Academics

Grinnell Lawrence
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Lawrence
Graduation Rate 88% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $45,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $27,350
Median Loan Payment $136 $282

Diversity

Grinnell Lawrence
% Men 47% 46%
% Women 53% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 70%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 16% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Grinnell Lawrence
% In-State 7% 22%
% Out-of-State 72% 68%

Campus

Grinnell Lawrence
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

  • Grinnell College is larger than than Lawrence based on total student enrollment (1,759 students vs. 1,426 students)

Grinnell vs. Lawrence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Lawrence?

  • Grinnell College is 13.6% more expensive to attend than Lawrence for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $53,667.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at Grinnell than Lawrence University ($60,988.00 vs. $53,667.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lawrence University than Grinnell ($26,368 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lawrence University are 30.6% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($11,520 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lawrence University than Grinnell College (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 5.3% larger than aid received Lawrence University ($42,231 vs. $40,089)

Grinnell vs. Lawrence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Lawrence (3.52)
  • Lawrence has a higher acceptance rate (72.3%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. Lawrence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Lawrence University (88% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $13,900 more per year than Lawrence graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $45,600)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $14,180 lower median federal student loan debt than Lawrence graduates. ($13,170 vs. $27,350)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $146 less per month on federal student loans than Lawrence graduates. ($136 vs. $282)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lawrence students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)

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