Grinnell vs. Minnesota

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

Grinnell Minnesota
Location Grinnell, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 1,775 54,890
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $64,342 $14,496
Tuition (Out of State) $64,342 $34,410
Room & Board $15,878 $13,028
Avg Net Price $33,446 $16,730
Avg Grant Aid $45,782 $11,807
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 62%

Admission

Grinnell Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,988 39,863
Admitted 1,266 30,705
Acceptance Rate 12.7% 77%
Enrolled % 36.1% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 27/31
SAT Range 1418/1550 1310/1480
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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Grinnell Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Minnesota
Graduation Rate 88% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $136 $208

Diversity

Grinnell Minnesota
% Men 2% 12%
% Women 2% 16%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 70%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 16% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Grinnell Minnesota
% In-State 8% 66%
% Out-of-State 69% 26%

Campus

Grinnell Minnesota
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 Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (54,890 students vs. 1,775 students)

Grinnell vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Minnesota?

  • Grinnell College is 343.9% more expensive to attend than Minnesota for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $14,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87% higher at Grinnell than University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($64,342.00 vs. $34,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than Grinnell ($16,730 vs. $33,446)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Twin Cities are 21.9% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($13,028 vs. $15,878)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (92% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 287.8% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($45,782 vs. $11,807)

Grinnell vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 114 points higher than at Minnesota (1288)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Minnesota (29)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Minnesota (3.75)
  • Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than Grinnell (12.7%)

Grinnell vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (88% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $1,300 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $58,200)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $7,015 lower median federal student loan debt than Minnesota graduates. ($13,170 vs. $20,185)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Minnesota graduates. ($136 vs. $208)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota 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/