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 1,759 30,015
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #224
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Iowa
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $8,711
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $30,674
Room & Board $15,048 $11,476
Avg Net Price $33,467 $19,587
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $9,959
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 82%

Admission

Grinnell Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 25,729
Admitted 1,076 22,128
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 86%
Enrolled % 40.6% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 22/28
SAT Range 1380/1530 1130/1340
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Grinnell Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
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 47% 44%
% Women 53% 56%
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 7% 54%
% Out-of-State 72% 45%

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 (30,015 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Iowa?

  • Grinnell College is 600.1% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 98.8% higher at Grinnell than University of Iowa ($60,988.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Grinnell ($19,587 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 31.1% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($11,476 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than University of Iowa (91% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 324% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($42,231 vs. $9,959)

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 (86%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

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/