Grinnell College vs Hillsdale College

Grinnell College and Hillsdale College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, stand apart in their unique offerings and distinct academic environments. Grinnell, a liberal arts college in Iowa, boasts a diverse student body and a strong commitment to social justice, while Hillsdale, a private liberal arts college in Michigan, emphasizes a classical education rooted in Western tradition. With acceptance rates of 28% and 48%, respectively, both colleges offer a rigorous academic experience, though Grinnell's acceptance rate is more selective. While Grinnell students commonly pursue majors in social sciences, biological sciences, and English, Hillsdale students often choose majors in political science, economics, and history. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which college best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Grinnell College logo

Grinnell College

Hillsdale College logo

Hillsdale College

Overview

Location Grinnell, Iowa Hillsdale, Michigan
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 93.0% 94.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Undenominational

Admission

Acceptance rate 10.5% 23.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $25
SAT range 1370 - 1530 1340 - 1510
ACT range 30 - 34 30 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 29.0% 22.0%
Students submitting ACT score 33.0% 38.0%
Total number of applicants 10,513 2,994
Total number of admissions given out 1,108 709
Admitted students who chose to enroll 471 397
Yield rate 42.5% 56.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $76,098 $45,382
Average net price $37,423 $24,057
Tuition $58,156 $28,730
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,779

Meal plan: $7,572
Room/dormitory: $6,020

Meal plan: $6,120
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $35,821
100.0%
Average amount $20,535
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $3,952
0.0%
Average amount $0
Students taking out private loans 12.0%
Average amount $5,903
34.0%
Average amount $10,497

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,748
Men 47.5% Women 52.5%
1,515
Men 50.6% Women 49.4%
Graduate students N/A 87
Men 67.8% Women 32.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
N/A
Out-of-state students 91.5% N/A
International students 19.4% N/A
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 1,450 1,124
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Illinois Iowa Minnesota Texas N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Physical Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.9% 87.6%
Dropout rate 12.9% 8.3%
Transferred out N/A 3.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,661
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $55,487
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,893
  • Year 2: $34,704
  • Year 3: $49,481
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,499
  • Year 2: $29,141
  • Year 3: $41,882
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,517
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,572
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: $37,882
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,508
  • Year 3: $37,613
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,718
  • Year 2: $19,227
  • Year 3: $29,237
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $28,680
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,658
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,239
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
N/A

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