Oxy vs. Grinnell

Should I go to Occidental College or Grinnell College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oxy 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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Occidental College vs. Grinnell College comparison
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Occidental College Grinnell College
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Overview

Oxy Grinnell
Location Los Angeles, CA Grinnell, IA
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 1,854 1,775
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #78 #55
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oxy.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oxy Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $62,850 $64,342
Tuition (Out of State) $62,850 $64,342
Room & Board $18,284 $15,878
Avg Net Price $47,113 $33,446
Avg Grant Aid $33,523 $45,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 92%

Admission

Oxy Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,573 9,988
Admitted 2,622 1,266
Acceptance Rate 39.9% 12.7%
Enrolled % 20.3% 36.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 31/34 31/34
SAT Range 1360/1500 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 10, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Oxy Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Oxy Grinnell
Graduation Rate 83% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,652 $13,170
Median Loan Payment $244 $136

Diversity

Oxy Grinnell
% Men 0% 2%
% Women 0% 2%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 56%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 6% 16%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Oxy Grinnell
% In-State 36% 8%
% Out-of-State 56% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Occidental College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (1,854 students vs. 1,775 students)

Oxy vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oxy or Grinnell?

  • Grinnell College is 2.4% more expensive to attend than Oxy for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $62,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at Grinnell than Occidental College ($64,342.00 vs. $62,850.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grinnell College than Oxy ($33,446 vs. $47,113)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 15.2% lower than costs at Occidental College ($15,878 vs. $18,284)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Occidental College (92% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 36.6% larger than aid received Occidental College ($45,782 vs. $33,523)

Oxy vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 98 points higher than at Oxy (1304)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Oxy (30)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Oxy (3.63)
  • Oxy has a higher acceptance rate (39.9%) than Grinnell (12.7%)

Oxy vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oxy 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 Oxy.

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Occidental College (88% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $2,900 more per year than Oxy graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $56,600)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $10,482 lower median federal student loan debt than Oxy graduates. ($13,170 vs. $23,652)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Oxy graduates. ($136 vs. $244)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oxy 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/