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Carleton College Macalester College Oberlin Kenyon ISU Haverford College Cornell WUSTL Bradley Reed Davidson Swarthmore| Illinois Wesleyan University | Grinnell College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
| Location | Bloomington, IL | Grinnell, IA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 1,576 | 1,775 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #158 | #55 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iwu.edu | grinnell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,500 | $64,342 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,500 | $64,342 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,930 | $15,878 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $31,310 | $33,446 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $36,999 | $45,782 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 92% |
Admission |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,128 | 9,988 | ||
| Admitted | 2,768 | 1,266 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 45.2% | 12.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.9% | 36.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.86 | 3.89 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 24/29 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1140/1330 | 1418/1550 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 82% | 88% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $60,500 | $59,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $13,170 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $136 |
Diversity |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 2% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 56% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 9% | 16% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 8% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 69% | ||
Campus |
IWU | Grinnell | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Grinnell College is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (1,775 students vs. 1,576 students)
IWU vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, IWU or Grinnell?
- Grinnell College is 15.9% more expensive to attend than IWU for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $55,500.00)
- Out of state tuition is 15.9% higher at Grinnell than Illinois Wesleyan University ($64,342.00 vs. $55,500.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Wesleyan University than Grinnell ($31,310 vs. $33,446)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 22.8% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,930 vs. $15,878)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Grinnell College (100% vs. 92%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 23.7% larger than aid received Illinois Wesleyan University ($45,782 vs. $36,999)
IWU vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, IWU or Grinnell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Grinnell or IWU .
- The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 153 points higher than at IWU (1249)
- Incoming Grinnell students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at IWU (28)
- Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at IWU (3.86)
- IWU has a higher acceptance rate (45.2%) than Grinnell (12.7%)
IWU vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, IWU or Grinnell? 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 Grinnell and IWU.
- The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Illinois Wesleyan University (88% vs. 82%)
- Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $1,000 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $59,500)
- Grinnell College students graduate with a $13,830 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($13,170 vs. $27,000)
- Grinnell graduates are paying $143 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($136 vs. $279)
- More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IWU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/