Grinnell vs. St Olaf

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

Grinnell St Olaf
Location Grinnell, IA Northfield, MN
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,759 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #156
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $54,650
Room & Board $15,048 $12,450
Avg Net Price $33,467 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 99%

Admission

Grinnell St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 5,524
Admitted 1,076 3,116
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 56.4%
Enrolled % 40.6% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 28/33
SAT Range 1380/1530 1300/1480
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 15, 2024

Academics

Grinnell St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Grinnell St Olaf
Graduation Rate 88% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $136 $279

Diversity

Grinnell St Olaf
% Men 47% 42%
% Women 53% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 75%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Grinnell St Olaf
% In-State 7% 47%
% Out-of-State 72% 43%

Campus

Grinnell St Olaf
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

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 1,759 students)

Grinnell vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or St Olaf?

  • Grinnell College is 11.6% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.6% higher at Grinnell than St Olaf College ($60,988.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Grinnell ($26,171 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 20.9% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,450 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Grinnell College (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 4.5% larger than aid received St Olaf College ($42,231 vs. $40,399)

Grinnell vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 120 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at St Olaf (29)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (56.4%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Grinnell vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grinnell or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf and Grinnell.

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than St Olaf College (88% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $5,800 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $53,700)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $13,830 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($13,170 vs. $27,000)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $143 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($136 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 87%)

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