Grinnell College vs Berkeley

Nestled in the heart of Iowa, Grinnell College, a liberal arts institution, stands in stark contrast to the bustling University of California-Berkeley, a public research university located in the vibrant city of Berkeley, California. While both institutions offer a world-class education, they differ significantly in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. With Grinnell's highly selective admissions process and Berkeley's renowned reputation in STEM fields, the choice between these two esteemed universities hinges on individual preferences and academic aspirations. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your unique educational goals and aspirations.
Grinnell College logo

Grinnell College

University of California-Berkeley logo

University of California-Berkeley

Overview

Location Grinnell, Iowa Berkeley, California
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 93.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 10.5% 14.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
SAT range 1370 - 1530 N/A
ACT range 30 - 34 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 33.0%
Total number of applicants 10,513 112,843
Total number of admissions given out 1,108 16,295
Admitted students who chose to enroll 471 6,931
Yield rate 42.5% 42.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $76,098
In state: $37,920

Out of state: $67,674
Average net price $37,423 $17,652
Tuition $58,156
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,779

Meal plan: $7,572
$20,236
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $35,821
52.0%
Average amount $21,406
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $3,952
15.0%
Average amount $4,586
Students taking out private loans 12.0%
Average amount $5,903
6.0%
Average amount $7,122

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,748
Men 47.5% Women 52.5%
31,814
Men 45.4% Women 54.6%
Graduate students N/A 13,222
Men 51.7% Women 48.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 91.5% 16.9%
International students 19.4% 18.0%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,450 9,630
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 California New Jersey Texas Virginia New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Physical Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.9% 92.8%
Dropout rate 12.9% 6.3%
Transferred out N/A N/A
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $171,936
  • Year 3: $191,597
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $122,038
  • Year 3: $167,052
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $125,250
  • Year 2: $125,388
  • Year 3: $161,399
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $126,367
  • Year 2: $128,868
  • Year 3: $160,666
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,390
  • Year 2: $142,470
  • Year 3: $143,984
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $119,358
  • Year 3: $143,516
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,442
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $112,973
Optometry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,750
  • Year 2: $91,363
  • Year 3: $104,601
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,600
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $103,738
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,282
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $102,543

Compare Similar Colleges

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