Grinnell vs. MCAD

Should I go to Grinnell College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Grinnell or MCAD 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. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Grinnell College Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Grinnell College Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Overview

 Grinnell MCAD
Location Grinnell, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 1,759 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Grinnell MCAD
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $42,110
Room & Board $15,048 $7,290
Avg Net Price $33,467 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 100%

Admission

 Grinnell MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 668
Admitted 1,076 380
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 56.9%
Enrolled % 40.6% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 19/27
SAT Range 1380/1530 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Grinnell MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Grinnell MCAD
Graduation Rate 88% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $136 $266

Diversity

 Grinnell MCAD
% Men 47% 31%
% Women 53% 69%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 59%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 16% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 16%

Students

 Grinnell MCAD
% In-State 7% 61%
% Out-of-State 72% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Grinnell College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (1,759 students vs. 821 students)

Grinnell vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or MCAD?

  • Grinnell College is 44.8% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.8% higher at Grinnell than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($60,988.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Grinnell ($28,443 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 106.4% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($7,290 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Grinnell College (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 62.3% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($42,231 vs. $26,025)

Grinnell vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 306 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • MCAD has a higher acceptance rate (56.9%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (88% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $18,000 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $41,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $12,580 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($13,170 vs. $25,750)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($136 vs. $266)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD 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/