Grinnell vs. Wisconsin

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

Grinnell Wisconsin
Location Grinnell, IA Madison, WI
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,759 48,956
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $37,904
Room & Board $15,048 $12,894
Avg Net Price $33,467 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 47%

Admission

Grinnell Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 60,214
Admitted 1,076 29,539
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 49.1%
Enrolled % 40.6% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 26/32
SAT Range 1380/1530 1340/1510
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 Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 88% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $136 $230

Diversity

Grinnell Wisconsin
% Men 47% 47%
% Women 53% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 76%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 16% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Grinnell Wisconsin
% In-State 7% 43%
% Out-of-State 72% 47%

Campus

Grinnell Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin Madison is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Wisconsin?

  • Grinnell College is 557.7% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.9% higher at Grinnell than University of Wisconsin Madison ($60,988.00 vs. $37,904.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than Grinnell ($13,376 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 16.7% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,894 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than University of Wisconsin Madison (91% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 278% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($42,231 vs. $11,171)

Grinnell vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 102 points higher than at Wisconsin (1300)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Wisconsin (3.88)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than University of Wisconsin Madison (88% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $5,300 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $9,080 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($13,170 vs. $22,250)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($136 vs. $230)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wisconsin students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 84%)

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