Northwestern vs. Grinnell

Should I go to Northwestern University or Grinnell College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UChicago Carleton College Notre Dame Duke Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell Georgetown Michigan Stanford Loyola
Northwestern University vs. Grinnell College comparison
Northwestern University Grinnell College College 3 College 4
Northwestern University Grinnell College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Northwestern Grinnell
Location Evanston, IL Grinnell, IA
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 23,161 1,759
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #55
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $60,988
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $60,988
Room & Board $19,440 $15,048
Avg Net Price $22,095 $33,467
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $42,231
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 91%

Admission

Northwestern Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 9,997
Admitted 3,695 1,076
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 10.8%
Enrolled % 55.2% 40.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 31/34
SAT Range 1490/1570 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 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Northwestern Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Grinnell
Graduation Rate 94% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $13,170
Median Loan Payment $200 $136

Diversity

Northwestern Grinnell
% Men 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 56%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 8% 16%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Northwestern Grinnell
% In-State 22% 7%
% Out-of-State 67% 72%

Campus

Northwestern Grinnell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 1,759 students)

Northwestern vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Grinnell?

  • Northwestern University is 2.3% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.3% higher at Northwestern than Grinnell College ($62,391.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Grinnell ($22,095 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 29.2% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($15,048 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Northwestern University (91% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 46.1% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($61,716 vs. $42,231)

Northwestern vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 58 points higher than at Grinnell (1402)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Grinnell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Grinnell (3.89)
  • Grinnell has a higher acceptance rate (10.8%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern 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 Northwestern.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Grinnell College (94% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $30,300 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $6,208 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($13,170 vs. $19,378)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($136 vs. $200)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell 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/