Grinnell College
#10 in Most Innovative Schools (tie)
Overview
Grinnell College is a private institution that was founded in 1846. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,759 (fall 2022), its setting is rural, and the campus size is 120 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Grinnell College's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #11. Its tuition and fees are $64,862.
Grinnell College is located in the small town of Grinnell, Iowa, halfway between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Despite its somewhat remote location, this "Little School on the Prairie" has a lot to offer. From the G-Tones a cappella group for music lovers to the environmental group Free the Plant for tree huggers, Grinnell’s 100-plus student organizations appeal to a variety of interests. Grinnell’s busy social scene makes up for its lack of Greek life with an array of cultural activities and concerts occurring weekly on campus, from big-name acts to small student groups. A well-known, annual event is the Titular Head Film Festival, which showcases student films. The Grinnell Pioneers compete in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference. In fact, the Pioneers played some of the first intercollegiate football and baseball games west of the Mississippi. All students are required to live on campus in residence halls located on South, North or East campuses.
The school is known for its strong social activism, ranking top among schools of its size in sending volunteers to the Peace Corps. Grinnell’s social consciousness stems back to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, when several Grinnell graduates became influential New Deal administrators. Between 55 and 60 percent of students participate in study abroad programs during their time at Grinnell. Notable alumni include jazz musician and composer Herbie Hancock and Intel co-founder Robert Noyce, nicknamed "Mayor of Silicon Valley."
Grinnell College is a private institution that was founded in 1846. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,759 (fall 2022), its setting is rural, and the campus size is 120 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Grinnell College's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #11. Its tuition and fees are $64,862.
Grinnell College is located in the small town of Grinnell, Iowa, halfway between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Despite its somewhat remote location, this "Little School on the Prairie" has a lot to offer. From the G-Tones a cappella group for music lovers to the environmental group Free the Plant for tree huggers, Grinnell’s 100-plus student organizations appeal to a variety of interests. Grinnell’s busy social scene makes up for its lack of Greek life with an array of cultural activities and concerts occurring weekly on campus, from big-name acts to small student groups. A well-known, annual event is the Titular Head Film Festival, which showcases student films. The Grinnell Pioneers compete in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference. In fact, the Pioneers played some of the first intercollegiate football and baseball games west of the Mississippi. All students are required to live on campus in residence halls located on South, North or East campuses.
The school is known for its strong social activism, ranking top among schools of its size in sending volunteers to the Peace Corps. Grinnell’s social consciousness stems back to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, when several Grinnell graduates became influential New Deal administrators. Between 55 and 60 percent of students participate in study abroad programs during their time at Grinnell. Notable alumni include jazz musician and composer Herbie Hancock and Intel co-founder Robert Noyce, nicknamed "Mayor of Silicon Valley."
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At-a-Glance
Setting
Rural
Tuition & Fees
$64,862
Undergraduate Enrollment
1,759
Acceptance Rate
11%
From the School
You're in charge of your studies and the career you pursue. At Grinnell, we call our curriculum an "individually advised curriculum." We have no distribution requirements, and the only two required courses for all students are components of the First-Year Experience. The rest of your four-year class schedule is up to you and your academic adviser to craft based on your interests and aspirations, so you can uncover and explore what you truly care about. Here, you'll be in charge of how your major and studies take shape and the professional journey you begin.
Every Grinnellian has access to study, work, and experiences around the world. Even on our campus, you'll hear more than 60 languages spoken by students from every state and 70+ countries. Grinnellians come from all over the globe to attend this top-ranked (#11 overall, #10 most innovative, #7 best value, #6 best undergraduate teaching) national college.
Thanks to a no-loan financial aid policy and individualized advising, our students graduate with less debt, more direction. And their return on investment is clear, as Grinnellians are hired into impactful jobs and admitted to the world's top graduate school programs.
You're in charge of your studies and the career you pursue. At Grinnell, we call our curriculum an "individually advised curriculum." We have no distribution requirements, and the only two required courses for all students are components of the First-Year Experience. The rest of your four-year class schedule is up to you and your academic adviser to craft based on your interests and aspirations, so you can uncover and explore what you truly care about. Here, you'll be in charge of how your major and studies take shape and the professional journey you begin.
Every Grinnellian has access to study, work, and experiences around the world. Even on our campus, you'll hear more than 60 languages spoken by students from every state and 70+ countries. Grinnellians come from all over the globe to attend this top-ranked (#11 overall, #10 most innovative, #7 best value, #6 best undergraduate teaching) national college.
Thanks to a no-loan financial aid policy and individualized advising, our students graduate with less debt, more direction. And their return on investment is clear, as Grinnellians are hired into impactful jobs and admitted to the world's top graduate school programs.
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2024 Rankings
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Admissions
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Cost
Tuition & Fees
$64,862
Room & Board
$15,878(2023-24)
Average Need-Based Aid Package
$59,842
$28,610
$28,610
Tuition & Fees
$64,862
Room & Board
$15,878(2023-24)
Average Need-Based Aid Package
$59,842
*Average cost after aid
Academics
84%
9:1
65%
Popular Majors
MAJOR
% OF GRADUATES
ALUMNI STARTING SALARY
Social Sciences
22%
$20,659
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
17%
$27,914
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
11%
$73,913
Mathematics and Statistics
9%
N/A
Visual and Performing Arts
7%
N/A
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* In cases where salary data at the specific major level is unavailable, a general salary for the major category is displayed.
NCAA Athletics at Grinnell
Sponsored
At Grinnell, students across every sport fully commit and bring their all to NCAA Division III competition. If you are recruited to compete on one of our 20 varsity teams, you'll be surrounded by fellow athletes and supported by experienced varsity coaches who are daring, dynamic, and dedicated to the game. And if you're not at the varsity level and decide to go out for club or intramural sports, you can still use our state-of-the-art athletic facilities.
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Students
1,759
Graduate Enrollment
N/A
Total Enrollment
1,759
Full-Time Degree-Seeking Students
1,703
Student Diversity
Gender Distribution
Ethnic Diversity
25%
Minority Enrollment
25%
Minority Enrollment
53%
White
20%
International
8%
Asian
8%
Hispanic
5%
Two or more races
4%
Black
3%
Unknown
Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%.
Campus Life
Housing and Dorms
Types of campus housing available:
Student Activities
24+
Sports Teams
N/A
Fraternities
N/A
Sororities
After College
Graduation Rate
84%
Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)
55%
Average Debt at Graduation
$14,738
$30,425
$30,425
Graduation Rate
84%
Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)
55%
Average Debt at Graduation
$14,738
Reviews & Ratings
See reviews and ratings of this school from students, alumni, staff and others. These reviews are not written by U.S. News and have no impact on any of the Best Colleges rankings. Read an explanation of user ratings.
Featured User Review
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My daughter is at Grinnell. As someone who attended an Ivy, I can attest that the personalized attention and quality of teaching far surpasses anything that I experienced in my own undergraduate life. The community is fun-loving, open-minded, smart and hard-working. Bright kids with none of the pretense. Campus is justice-minded and full of opportunity. Huge endowment creates incredible options for students. High admission rates to top grad schools. Grinnell is one of the most underrated colleges in America — but those in the know, know.
Pioneerheart, Parent
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Undergraduate data are based on the 2022 school year.
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