Simpson College vs Grinnell College

Simpson College and Grinnell College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions in Iowa, offer distinct educational experiences. Simpson, with an acceptance rate of 68%, welcomes a diverse student body, with 20% identifying as students of color. Grinnell, known for its rigorous academics, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 20%. While Simpson's popular majors include business, education, and nursing, Grinnell's strengths lie in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Both colleges boast impressive graduation rates, with Simpson at 63% and Grinnell at 83%. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details and discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Grinnell College logo

Grinnell College

Simpson College logo

Simpson College

Overview

Location Grinnell, Iowa Indianola, Iowa
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 93.0% 70.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 10.5% 90.8%
Application fees
SAT range 1370 - 1530 890 - 1280
ACT range 30 - 34 20 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 29.0% 2.0%
Students submitting ACT score 33.0% 35.0%
Total number of applicants 10,513 1,330
Total number of admissions given out 1,108 1,208
Admitted students who chose to enroll 471 286
Yield rate 42.5% 23.7%
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 $56,520
Average net price $37,423 $20,986
Tuition $58,156 $43,124
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,779

Meal plan: $7,572
Room/dormitory: $4,680

Meal plan: $4,974
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 $34,582
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $3,952
73.0%
Average amount $5,158
Students taking out private loans 12.0%
Average amount $5,903
16.0%
Average amount $10,172

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,748
Men 47.5% Women 52.5%
1,172
Men 46.9% Women 53.1%
Graduate students N/A 46
Men 39.1% Women 60.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 91.5% 28.9%
International students 19.4% 1.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,450 1,264
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 Iowa Arizona Texas Missouri Nebraska

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Physical Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Education
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 11:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.9% 68.9%
Dropout rate 12.9% 30.8%
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
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,021
  • Year 2: $73,041
  • Year 3: $81,168
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,180
  • Year 2: $54,509
  • Year 3: $62,305
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,866
  • Year 2: $49,787
  • Year 3: $53,487
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,401
  • Year 2: $42,012
  • Year 3: $46,368
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,370
  • Year 2: $36,668
  • Year 3: $44,730
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,991
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $42,375
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,249
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $41,996
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,017
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $41,102
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,449
  • Year 2: $32,029
  • Year 3: $38,526
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $35,030

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