Grinnell vs. Iowa

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

 Grinnell Iowa
Location Grinnell, IA Iowa City, IA
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,775 30,042
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #225
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Grinnell Iowa
Tuition (In State) $64,342 $9,016
Tuition (Out of State) $64,342 $30,979
Room & Board $15,878 $12,616
Avg Net Price $33,446 $20,121
Avg Grant Aid $45,782 $9,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 74%

Admission

 Grinnell Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,988 25,682
Admitted 1,266 21,746
Acceptance Rate 12.7% 84.7%
Enrolled % 36.1% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 22/28
SAT Range 1418/1550 1130/1320
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 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Grinnell Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 Grinnell Iowa
Graduation Rate 88% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $136 $223

Diversity

 Grinnell Iowa
% Men 2% 12%
% Women 2% 14%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 67%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 16% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Grinnell Iowa
% In-State 8% 52%
% Out-of-State 69% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 1,775 students)

Grinnell vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Iowa?

  • Grinnell College is 613.6% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 107.7% higher at Grinnell than University of Iowa ($64,342.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Grinnell ($20,121 vs. $33,446)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 25.9% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,616 vs. $15,878)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than University of Iowa (92% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 381.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($45,782 vs. $9,512)

Grinnell vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 238 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Iowa (3.81)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Grinnell (12.7%)

Grinnell vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than University of Iowa (88% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $300 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $8,446 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($13,170 vs. $21,616)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($136 vs. $223)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 70%)

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