Grinnell vs. KU

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

 Grinnell KU
Location Grinnell, IA Lawrence, KS
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 1,759 26,708
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #252
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Grinnell KU
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $10,092
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $26,960
Room & Board $15,048 $10,136
Avg Net Price $33,467 $18,950
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $11,140
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 87%

Admission

 Grinnell KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 16,204
Admitted 1,076 14,234
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 87.8%
Enrolled % 40.6% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 21/28
SAT Range 1380/1530 1090/1340
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Grinnell KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 Grinnell KU
Graduation Rate 88% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $136 $211

Diversity

 Grinnell KU
% Men 47% 45%
% Women 53% 55%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 72%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 16% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Grinnell KU
% In-State 7% 58%
% Out-of-State 72% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kansas is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (26,708 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or KU?

  • Grinnell College is 504.3% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $10,092.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.2% higher at Grinnell than University of Kansas ($60,988.00 vs. $26,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than Grinnell ($18,950 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 48.5% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($10,136 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than University of Kansas (91% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 279.1% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($42,231 vs. $11,140)

Grinnell vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 257 points higher than at KU (1145)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at KU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at KU (3.66)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than University of Kansas (88% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $4,900 more per year than KU graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $54,600)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $7,330 lower median federal student loan debt than KU graduates. ($13,170 vs. $20,500)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than KU graduates. ($136 vs. $211)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 66%)

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