IWU vs. Grinnell

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

IWU Grinnell
Location Bloomington, IL Grinnell, IA
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 1,527 1,759
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #55
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $60,988
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $60,988
Room & Board $12,418 $15,048
Avg Net Price $30,096 $33,467
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $42,231
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

IWU Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 9,997
Admitted 1,861 1,076
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 10.8%
Enrolled % 20.5% 40.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 25/30 31/34
SAT Range 1120/1330 1380/1530
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

Academics

IWU Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

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 51% 47%
% Women 49% 53%
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% 7%
% Out-of-State 14% 72%

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 (1,759 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Grinnell?

  • Grinnell College is 13.8% more expensive to attend than IWU for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $53,610.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.8% higher at Grinnell than Illinois Wesleyan University ($60,988.00 vs. $53,610.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Wesleyan University than Grinnell ($30,096 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 21.2% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,418 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Grinnell College (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 15.3% larger than aid received Illinois Wesleyan University ($42,231 vs. $36,614)

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 (42.2%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

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/