Grinnell vs. Amherst

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

Grinnell Amherst
Location Grinnell, IA Amherst, MA
Setting Remote Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,759 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Amherst
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $63,500
Room & Board $15,048 $16,750
Avg Net Price $33,467 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 58%

Admission

Grinnell Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 14,864
Admitted 1,076 1,079
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 7.3%
Enrolled % 40.6% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 32/35
SAT Range 1380/1530 1420/1550
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 Jan 15, 2024 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

Grinnell Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Amherst
Graduation Rate 88% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $136 $134

Diversity

Grinnell Amherst
% Men 47% 48%
% Women 53% 52%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 42%
% Black 6% 12%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 16% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Grinnell Amherst
% In-State 7% 13%
% Out-of-State 72% 74%

Campus

Grinnell Amherst
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Amherst College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 4.1% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at Amherst than Grinnell College ($63,500.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Grinnell ($21,367 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 11.3% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,048 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Amherst College (91% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 39% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($58,693 vs. $42,231)

Grinnell vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 49 points higher than at Grinnell (1402)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Grinnell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Grinnell (3.89)
  • Grinnell has a higher acceptance rate (10.8%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Grinnell vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grinnell or Amherst? 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 Amherst and Grinnell.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Grinnell College (96% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $22,500 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $59,500)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $195 lower median federal student loan debt than Grinnell graduates. ($12,975 vs. $13,170)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Grinnell graduates. ($134 vs. $136)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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