PlainsTownPrivate4-yearSocial & Science+ Reach

Grinnell College

A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones.

Grinnell, IA1,705 students
Acceptance Rate
15%
highly selective
Median SAT
1,475
Middle 50%: 1418–1550
Net Price After Aid
$15.6k
Sticker $64.9k
Graduation Rate
87%
6-year, full-time

Grinnell College is a private institution in Grinnell, IA with an acceptance rate of 15% and 1,705 students. The middle 50% of admitted students score 1418–1550 on the SAT. The average net price after financial aid is $15,608 per year.

About Grinnell College

A private 4-year town university in Grinnell, IA.

Grinnell College is a college in Grinnell, IA. It enrolls roughly 1,705 students. The most recent acceptance rate is 15%. Admitted students typically score between 1418 and 1550 on the SAT.

PlainsTownPrivate4-yearSocial & Science
Acceptance Rate
15%
Highly Selective
Total Enrollment
1,705
Small
Retention
93%
First-years returning
Graduation Rate
87%
6-year, full-time

Your chances at this school

A clear-eyed view of how your profile compares to admitted students — and the things that would move your odds the most.

Acceptance Rate
15%
15 of every 100 applicants admitted
Your Chances
Sign in to see your personalized probability.
Admitted Student GPA

Grinnell College is a reach school for the average admitted student profile. A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones. Here is what would make your application as competitive as possible.

Things that would move your odds the most

  1. Aim for an SAT of 1418+
    Hitting the 25th percentile puts you in the competitive range for admitted students.
  2. Build a single deep extracurricular peak
    Depth beats breadth at selective schools — one nationally-visible accomplishment outperforms ten clubs.
  3. Strengthen one teacher recommendation
    A specific, personal letter from a teacher who knows your work moves the needle.

Probability is based on a model trained on historical admissions data. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Admissions decisions weigh essays, recommendations, and fit factors that aren't in the data.

Admissions

What it actually takes to get into Grinnell College. Test scores, GPA, application requirements, and deadlines.

Admitted student profile

Range shown is the middle 50%.

SAT
composite, 1600 scale
1,4181,550
1,475
average
ACT
composite, 36 scale
3134
33
average
GPA
weighted, 4.5 max

Cost & financial aid

Published costs can be misleading. Here's what families actually pay at Grinnell College after grants and scholarships.

Sticker price
Tuition $64,862
Average net price after aid
$15,608
After grants and scholarships

Net price by family income

Average amount paid out of pocket — tuition, fees, and room & board minus all grant aid.

$0 – $30,000
$6,739
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,235
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,220
$75,001 – $110,000
N/A
$110,001 +
$36,265

Net price represents the average cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal financial aid.

Pell Grant Recipients
17%
Need-based federal grant
Take Federal Loans
12%
Avg loan $14,151 / year
Avg Grant Aid
Per receiving student / year

Academics & majors

Where students at Grinnell College concentrate, and how the classroom experience scales.

Student : Faculty
Class-size proxy
Primary Focus
Social & Science
29% of degrees awarded
Retention
93%
First-years returning
A breakdown of the top majors by share of degrees awarded ships once we finish backfilling per-school program data.

Student body

Who attends Grinnell College. Enrollment, diversity, and where students come from.

Race & ethnicity

  • White57%
  • Asian9%
  • Hispanic9%
  • Black5%
  • International21%

Gender

  • Female53%
  • Male47%
International
19%
Of total enrollment
Live on Campus
Undergraduate residential rate
Total Enrollment
1,705

Outcomes after graduation

What Grinnell College graduates do next — and what they earn.

Median Earnings
$62.8k
10 years after enrollment
Employed at 2 yrs
Working or in grad school
Pursue Grad School
Within 5 years
Graduation Rate
87%
6-year, full-time

What this means

$63k is near the national bachelor's-graduate median at the 10-year mark, and a 87% graduation rate puts Grinnell College in the top tier nationally.

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