Vassar College vs Grinnell College

Nestled in the picturesque Hudson Valley and the vibrant heart of Iowa, Vassar College and Grinnell College stand as beacons of academic excellence and transformative education. While both institutions share a commitment to intellectual rigor and personal growth, they offer distinct experiences shaped by their unique histories, locations, and academic strengths. With acceptance rates of 23% and 24%, respectively, these highly selective colleges attract a diverse and talented student body. Vassar's student body is slightly larger, with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,453 compared to Grinnell's 1,680, creating different campus dynamics and opportunities for engagement. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into the nuances that set these two exceptional institutions apart, from their popular majors and student demographics to their graduation rates and notable alumni. Discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences, embarking on a journey of intellectual exploration and personal growth.

	Grinnell College	Vassar College
Overview
Location	Grinnell, Iowa	Poughkeepsie, New York
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Large
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%	95.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	10.5%	20.1%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1370 - 1530	1420 - 1540
ACT range	30 - 34	32 - 34
Students submitting SAT score	29.0%	31.0%
Students submitting ACT score	33.0%	20.0%
Total number of applicants	10,513	10,884
Total number of admissions given out	1,108	2,193
Admitted students who chose to enroll	471	679
Yield rate	42.5%	31.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$76,098	$81,330
Average net price	$37,423	$27,249
Tuition	$58,156	$61,940
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,779 Meal plan: $7,572	$15,710
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $35,821	57.0% Average amount $49,162
Students receiving federal student loan	36.0% Average amount $3,952	46.0% Average amount $3,729
Students taking out private loans	12.0% Average amount $5,903	4.0% Average amount $14,435

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,748 Men 47.5% Women 52.5%	2,516 Men 38.4% Women 61.6%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	91.5%	N/A
International students	19.4%	8.4%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,450	2,448
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	Biological and Biomedical Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures Social Sciences Ethnic Studies Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	8:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	86.9%	92.5%
Dropout rate	12.9%	5.6%
Transferred out	N/A	2.0%
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: $64,930 Year 2: $69,535 Year 3: $93,622 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,665 Year 2: $57,995 Year 3: $66,026 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,871 Year 2: $49,683 Year 3: $59,758 Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,233 Year 2: $39,729 Year 3: $45,366 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,929 Year 2: $31,670 Year 3: $43,616 International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $40,086 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,522 Year 2: $35,600 Year 3: $38,666 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $32,708 Year 3: $38,274 Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,008 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $36,733 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,175 Year 2: $30,771 Year 3: $35,465

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