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Carleton College Macalester College Oberlin Kenyon Haverford College Cornell WUSTL Reed Davidson Swarthmore Colby College Amherst| Grinnell College | Luther College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Grinnell | Luther- Norse | ||
| Location | Grinnell, IA | Decorah, IA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 1,775 | 1,463 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #55 | #299 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | grinnell.edu | luther.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Grinnell | Luther- Norse | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,342 | $49,650 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,342 | $49,650 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,878 | $11,180 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,446 | $24,790 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,782 | $38,042 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 100% |
Admission |
Grinnell | Luther- Norse | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,988 | 2,447 | ||
| Admitted | 1,266 | 1,793 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12.7% | 73.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.1% | 19.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1418/1550 | 1098/1318 | ||
| 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 | Luther- Norse | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Grinnell | Luther- Norse | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $50,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $13,170 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $136 | $279 |
Diversity |
Grinnell | Luther- Norse | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 56% | 84% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 16% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 0% |
Students |
Grinnell | Luther- Norse | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 8% | 28% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Grinnell | Luther- Norse | ||
| 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 Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (1,775 students vs. 1,463 students)
Grinnell vs. Luther- Norse Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Luther- Norse?
- Grinnell College is 29.6% more expensive to attend than Luther- Norse for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $49,650.00)
- Out of state tuition is 29.6% higher at Grinnell than Luther College ($64,342.00 vs. $49,650.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Luther College than Grinnell ($24,790 vs. $33,446)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 42% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($11,180 vs. $15,878)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Luther College than Grinnell College (100% vs. 92%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 20.3% larger than aid received Luther College ($45,782 vs. $38,042)
Grinnell vs. Luther- Norse Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Grinnell or Luther- Norse? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Luther- Norse or Grinnell .
- The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 223 points higher than at Luther- Norse (1179)
- Incoming Grinnell students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Luther- Norse (26)
- Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Luther- Norse (3.65)
- Luther- Norse has a higher acceptance rate (73.3%) than Grinnell (12.7%)
Grinnell vs. Luther- Norse Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Grinnell or Luther- Norse? 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 Luther- Norse and Grinnell.
- The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Luther College (88% vs. 69%)
- Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $9,500 more per year than Luther- Norse graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $50,000)
- Grinnell College students graduate with a $13,830 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($13,170 vs. $27,000)
- Grinnell graduates are paying $143 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($136 vs. $279)
- More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Luther- Norse students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/