Grinnell vs. Union College

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

Grinnell Union College
Location Grinnell, IA Schenectady, NY
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,759 2,107
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #76
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu union.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Union College
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $63,603
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $63,603
Room & Board $15,048 $15,768
Avg Net Price $33,467 $41,136
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $37,530
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 93%

Admission

Grinnell Union College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 8,458
Admitted 1,076 3,934
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 46.5%
Enrolled % 40.6% 14.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 29/33
SAT Range 1380/1530 1310/1490
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 Union College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Union College
Graduation Rate 88% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $74,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $136 $279

Diversity

Grinnell Union College
% Men 47% 55%
% Women 53% 45%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 73%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Grinnell Union College
% In-State 7% 28%
% Out-of-State 72% 63%

Campus

Grinnell Union College
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

  • Union College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (2,107 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Union College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Union College?

  • Union College is 4.3% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($63,603.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at Union College than Grinnell College ($63,603.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grinnell College than Union College ($33,467 vs. $41,136)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 4.8% lower than costs at Union College ($15,048 vs. $15,768)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than Grinnell College (93% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 12.5% larger than aid received Union College ($42,231 vs. $37,530)

Grinnell vs. Union College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Union College (3.5)
  • Union College has a higher acceptance rate (46.5%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. Union College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grinnell or Union College? 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 Union College and Grinnell.

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Union College (88% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $14,700 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $13,830 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($13,170 vs. $27,000)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $143 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($136 vs. $279)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Union College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)

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