Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Grinnell College admitted 14.5% of applicants university-wide (1,416 of 9,758).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 14.5% | 1,416 | 9,758 |
| Early Decision (binding) | 34.2% | 283 | 828 |
| Men | 12.6% | 637 | 5,048 |
| Women | 16.4% | 725 | 4,421 |
Early Decision applicants were admitted at 34.2%, vs 14.5% overall — ED is a binding commitment.
Of 1,416 admitted students, 438 enrolled (30.9% yield).
Grinnell College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1430–1520
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 31–34
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Grinnell College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $88,748/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $68,106 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $20,642 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $88,748/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $9,970 |
| $30k–48k | $7,789 |
| $48k–75k | $9,669 |
| $75k–110k | $19,348 |
| Over $110k | $37,725 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Grinnell College Grant — Meets 100% of demonstrated financial need (up to full cost of attendance) (Full Ride)
International applicants
Meets full demonstrated need for internationals.
- Grinnell College Grant — Meets 100% of demonstrated financial need (up to full cost of attendance) (Full Ride)
Grinnell College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024
Application requirements
US applicants
- Common Application or QuestBridge Application
- 2 Teacher Evaluations
- Secondary/High School Counselor Recommendation
- Common Application Secondary School Report
- Official High School Transcript
- Short Answer Supplement (optional) (optional)
- ACT or SAT Scores (optional)
- Portfolios for Art and Music (optional)
- Interview (optional)
International applicants
- Common Application or QuestBridge Application
- 2 Teacher Evaluations
- Secondary/High School Counselor Recommendation
- Common Application Secondary School Report
- Official High School Transcript
- Short Answer Supplement (optional) (optional)
- ACT or SAT Scores (optional)
- Portfolios for Art and Music (optional)
- Interview (optional)
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Grinnell College · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 1 college-specific supplement:
- How does Grinnell College fit into your educational and personal goals? (500 words)500 words · Required
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $62,830
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 88.1%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 93%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $17,500
- At graduation
Grinnell College · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News Liberal Arts: #13
- WSJ: #277
- Forbes: #116
- Niche: #113
Deadlines
- 2026-11-05Early Decision — Binding early round
- 2027-01-15Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Grinnell College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C21–C22 · 2024
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Social sciences (26%), Biological & life sciences (14%), Computer & information sciences (13%).
Student–faculty ratio: 9:1 · 63% of class sections have under 20 students.
Grinnell College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.