Illinois vs. Grinnell

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

 Illinois Grinnell
Location Champaign, IL Grinnell, IA
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 56,916 1,759
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #55
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $60,988
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $60,988
Room & Board $12,720 $15,048
Avg Net Price $14,544 $33,467
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $42,231
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 91%

Admission

 Illinois Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 9,997
Admitted 28,354 1,076
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 10.8%
Enrolled % 28.1% 40.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/34 31/34
SAT Range 1320/1510 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 5, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Illinois Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Grinnell
Graduation Rate 82% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $13,170
Median Loan Payment $211 $136

Diversity

 Illinois Grinnell
% Men 54% 47%
% Women 46% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 56%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 16% 16%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Illinois Grinnell
% In-State 71% 7%
% Out-of-State 11% 72%

Campus

 Illinois 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

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 1,759 students)

Illinois vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Grinnell?

  • Grinnell College is 388.9% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 100.3% higher at Grinnell than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($60,988.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Grinnell ($14,544 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 18.3% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,720 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (91% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 155.1% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($42,231 vs. $16,552)

Illinois vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 97 points higher than at Illinois (1305)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Illinois (29)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Illinois vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois 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 Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (88% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $7,000 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $7,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($13,170 vs. $20,500)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($136 vs. $211)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)

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