PrivateTown

Grinnell College

Grinnell

Grinnell, Iowa 50112-1690

Campus Vibe

Sciences-focusedTight-knitCollege townInternational

Highly selective — known for biology

Grinnell College is a private institution in Grinnell with particular strength in biology and computer science. With an average SAT of 1486, the school attracts a competitive applicant pool.

A small campus of 1.7K undergraduates with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

87% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $62,830 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $15,608.

Established

1846

Motto

Veritas et Humanitas

Mascot

Squirrel (unofficial)

Type

Private liberal arts college

Conference

non-varsity sports such as volleyball

Division

Division III

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13%Acceptance

1486SAT Avg

1,705Students

9:1Student:Faculty

87%Grad Rate

$62,830Earnings 10yr

$15,608Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

Grinnell College Launches New Data Science Minor

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tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

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Admissions

Acceptance Rate12.7%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1486

Reading & WritingMid: 710

698760

MathMid: 740

720790

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 32

3134

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

12.7%

Trend

SAT Avg

1486

Yield Rate

35.0%

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Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$64,862

Room & Board$15,878

Books & Supplies$800

Total Cost of Attendance$79,228

Average Net Price$15,608

Median Debt at Graduation$17,500

Monthly Payment (10yr)$186

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$6,739

$30–48K$6,235

$48–75K$6,220

$75–110K$16,891

$110K+$36,265

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$15,608

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

8800.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$14,151

SAT Range	Avg Award	Note
1400-1600	$25,000	Academic merit scholarship
1200-1399	$15,000	Dean's scholarship
1000-1199	$8,000	Achievement award

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Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

Peer Average

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

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Programs (31)

Student Life

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Student Body

Undergrads

1,705

Gender Split

54% / 46%

Women / Men

First Generation

18%

Pell Grant Recipients

17%

Race & Ethnicity

White 52%

Black 5%

Hispanic 8%

Asian 8%

Two+ 6%

Int'l 19%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate87.5%

Freshman Retention93.1%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$49,004

8 Years$58,562

10 Years$62,830

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$55,000

Men

$67,200

Rankings

U.S. News

#13

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Forbes

#116

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Wall Street Journal

#29

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Washington Monthly

#25

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More About This School

Varsity Sports — Wild Turkeys

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Rankings

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History & Fun Facts

•The group also sought to establish a college, which followed in 1846, when they collectively established Iowa College in Davenport.
•The first 25 years of Grinnell's history saw a change in name and location.
•The name of the corporation, "The Trustees of Iowa College", remained, but in 1909 the name "Grinnell" was adopted by the trustees for the institution.
•After the June 17, 1882 tornado In 1882, Grinnell College was struck by a tornado—then called a cyclone, after which the college yearbook was named.
•Other firsts pointed to the lighter side of college life: the first intercollegiate football and baseball games west of the Mississippi were played in Grinnell, and the home teams won.

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Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

89Low

Estimated from IA state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 30"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Kansas Citypop. 500K

207 mi(359 min)

Minneapolispop. 430K

225 mi(390 min)

St. Louispop. 290K

253 mi(439 min)

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Getting There

Nearest Airports

MCI Kansas City199 mi

MSP Minneapolis-St Paul218 mi

STL St Louis241 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA1109 mi · ~32h 2m drive

New York, NY973 mi · ~28h 7m drive

Hartford, CT1031 mi · ~29h 47m drive

Providence, RI1095 mi · ~31h 38m drive

Albany, NY971 mi · ~28h 3m drive

Syracuse, NY849 mi · ~24h 32m drive

Rochester, NY776 mi · ~22h 25m drive

Buffalo, NY711 mi · ~20h 32m drive

Philadelphia, PA924 mi · ~26h 42m drive

Pittsburgh, PA668 mi · ~19h 18m drive

Harrisburg, PA831 mi · ~24h drive

Newark, NJ964 mi · ~27h 51m drive

Washington, DC848 mi · ~24h 30m drive

Baltimore, MD862 mi · ~24h 54m drive

Atlanta, GA715 mi · ~20h 39m drive

Charlotte, NC784 mi · ~22h 39m drive

Raleigh, NC862 mi · ~24h 54m drive

Miami, FL1315 mi · ~37h 59m drive

Orlando, FL1113 mi · ~32h 9m drive

Tampa, FL1115 mi · ~32h 13m drive

Nashville, TN501 mi · ~14h 28m drive

New Orleans, LA828 mi · ~23h 55m drive

Richmond, VA862 mi · ~24h 54m drive

Chicago, IL262 mi · ~7h 34m drive

Detroit, MI498 mi · ~14h 23m drive

Minneapolis, MN225 mi · ~6h 30m drive

St. Louis, MO253 mi · ~7h 19m drive

Kansas City, MO207 mi · ~5h 59m drive

Indianapolis, IN370 mi · ~10h 41m drive

Columbus, OH523 mi · ~15h 7m drive

Cleveland, OH569 mi · ~16h 26m drive

Milwaukee, WI261 mi · ~7h 32m drive

Dallas, TX659 mi · ~19h 2m drive

Houston, TX841 mi · ~24h 18m drive

Austin, TX841 mi · ~24h 18m drive

San Antonio, TX911 mi · ~26h 19m drive

Los Angeles, CA1483 mi · ~42h 51m drive

San Francisco, CA1593 mi · ~46h 1m drive

San Diego, CA1475 mi · ~42h 37m drive

Seattle, WA1500 mi · ~43h 20m drive

Portland, OR1511 mi · ~43h 39m drive

Denver, CO656 mi · ~18h 57m drive

Phoenix, AZ1201 mi · ~34h 42m drive

Salt Lake City, UT996 mi · ~28h 46m drive

Honolulu, HI3987 mi · ~115h 11m drive

Mid-Atlantic / Central (moderate winters, warm summers)

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Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Mid-Range

Check nearby accommodations

$80-150/night

< 10 mi

Airport Transit

Kansas City (MCI)199 miles

Rental car

299 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

398 min$239-398

Minneapolis-St Paul (MSP)218 miles

Rental car

327 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

436 min$262-436

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Schools Like This

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Deadline Calendar

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Grinnell College Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

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Official High School Transcript

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School Report + Counselor Recommendation

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Two Teacher Recommendations

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SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

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Grinnell College Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

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CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

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Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

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Interview (recommended)Optional

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Decision Notifications

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