Grinnell vs. Vanderbilt

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

Grinnell Vanderbilt
Location Grinnell, IA Nashville, TN
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 1,759 13,710
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $58,130
Room & Board $15,048 $19,862
Avg Net Price $33,467 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 65%

Admission

Grinnell Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 46,377
Admitted 1,076 3,093
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 6.7%
Enrolled % 40.6% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 34/35
SAT Range 1380/1530 1490/1570
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 1, 2025

Academics

Grinnell Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 88% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $136 $144

Diversity

Grinnell Vanderbilt
% Men 47% 44%
% Women 53% 56%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 55%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Grinnell Vanderbilt
% In-State 7% 9%
% Out-of-State 72% 79%

Campus

Grinnell Vanderbilt
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

  • Vanderbilt University is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (13,710 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Vanderbilt?

  • Grinnell College is 4.9% more expensive to attend than Vanderbilt for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.9% higher at Grinnell than Vanderbilt University ($60,988.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vanderbilt University than Grinnell ($25,606 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 32% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($15,048 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Vanderbilt University (91% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 27.7% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($53,932 vs. $42,231)

Grinnell vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 96 points higher than at Grinnell (1402)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Grinnell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have at the same average high school GPA (3.89) as students at Vanderbilt (3.89)
  • Grinnell has a higher acceptance rate (10.8%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

Grinnell vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Grinnell College (92% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $23,600 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $830 lower median federal student loan debt than Vanderbilt graduates. ($13,170 vs. $14,000)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Vanderbilt graduates. ($136 vs. $144)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Vanderbilt students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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