Wheaton College vs. Grinnell

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

 Wheaton College Grinnell
Location Wheaton, IL Grinnell, IA
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 2,799 1,775
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #55
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $64,342
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $64,342
Room & Board $12,390 $15,878
Avg Net Price $31,346 $33,446
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $45,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 92%

Admission

 Wheaton College Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 9,988
Admitted 1,679 1,266
Acceptance Rate 90% 12.7%
Enrolled % 32.9% 36.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 27/32 31/34
SAT Range 1260/1440 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 Aug 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Wheaton College Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College Grinnell
Graduation Rate 87% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $13,170
Median Loan Payment $232 $136

Diversity

 Wheaton College Grinnell
% Men 10% 2%
% Women 14% 2%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 56%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 16%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 Wheaton College Grinnell
% In-State 21% 8%
% Out-of-State 54% 69%

Campus

 Wheaton College 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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (2,799 students vs. 1,775 students)

Wheaton College vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Grinnell?

  • Grinnell College is 47.3% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.3% higher at Grinnell than Wheaton College ($64,342.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Grinnell ($31,346 vs. $33,446)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 28.2% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,390 vs. $15,878)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Grinnell College (98% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 81.7% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($45,782 vs. $25,196)

Wheaton College vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 88 points higher than at Wheaton College (1314)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Wheaton College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Wheaton College (3.75)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Grinnell (12.7%)

Wheaton College vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Wheaton College (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $5,200 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $54,300)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $9,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($13,170 vs. $22,500)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $96 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($136 vs. $232)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 87%)

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