USC vs. Grinnell

Should I go to University of Southern California or Grinnell College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USC or Grinnell 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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University of Southern California vs. Grinnell College comparison
University of Southern California Grinnell College College 3 College 4
University of Southern California Grinnell College
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Overview

 USC Grinnell
Location Los Angeles, CA Grinnell, IA
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 48,945 1,759
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #34 #55
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usc.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $63,468 $60,988
Tuition (Out of State) $63,468 $60,988
Room & Board $17,436 $15,048
Avg Net Price $36,808 $33,467
Avg Grant Aid $45,262 $42,231
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 91%

Admission

 USC Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,062 9,997
Admitted 8,304 1,076
Acceptance Rate 12% 10.8%
Enrolled % 41.2% 40.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/35 31/34
SAT Range 1450/1550 1380/1530
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

Academics

 USC Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 USC Grinnell
Graduation Rate 90% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,500 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,375 $13,170
Median Loan Payment $231 $136

Diversity

 USC Grinnell
% Men 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 56%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 13% 16%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 USC Grinnell
% In-State 42% 7%
% Out-of-State 40% 72%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern California is larger than than Grinnell based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 1,759 students)

USC vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC or Grinnell?

  • University of Southern California is 4.1% more expensive to attend than Grinnell for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at USC than Grinnell College ($63,468.00 vs. $60,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grinnell College than USC ($33,467 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 15.9% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($15,048 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than University of Southern California (91% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 7.2% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($45,262 vs. $42,231)

USC vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 11 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming USC students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Grinnell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

USC vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than Grinnell College (90% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $26,000 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $9,205 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($13,170 vs. $22,375)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $95 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($136 vs. $231)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 81%)

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