Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 14.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 83/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Grinnell College scores 83 (Strong Value) on the CampusROI scale. The sticker tuition is $68,106, but the net price of $17,648 tells a different story: Grinnell's substantial endowment funds very aggressive financial aid, with the 30001-48000 income bracket paying just $7,789 per year. Average 6-year earnings of $36,700 appear modest but must be read alongside the 88.1% completion rate and 91.6% repayment rate at three years - both indicators of a graduate population that finishes and manages its debt well. Computer Science leads the program roster with 62 graduates, $84,449 year-one, and a B-grade ROI despite a 0.194 debt-to-earnings ratio. Economics (54 graduates) earns $46,791 year-one and $110,724 year-four - the year-four jump to $110k reflects Grinnell economics graduates' consistent movement into finance, consulting, and law. The aggregate $36,700 average six-year figure is dragged lower by a substantial share of graduates pursuing graduate or professional school in the short term.
Grinnell College scores in the top 11% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Grinnell College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $68,106/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $68,106/yr |
| Average net price | $17,648/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $70,592 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $62,830 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $186 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 88.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,729 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $68,106/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $17,648/year, or roughly $70,592 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $9,970/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $37,725/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,500, which works out to about $186 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,700) and comes to 0.48, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,970 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,789 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,669 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,348 |
| $110,001+ | $37,725 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $9,970 per year at Grinnell, and the 30001-48000 bracket pays $7,789.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $9,669 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $19,348. The jump to $19,348 for the $75k-$110k band is notable but still reasonable relative to outcomes. Against average 6-year earnings of $36,700 and a 7.6-year payback, the payback math is comfortable for most program paths.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $37,725 per year, or roughly $150,900 over four years - approaching full-pay territory at a $68,106 sticker. Against a 7.6-year payback and the CS and Economics outcomes available, the full-pay case is financially defensible for students in those programs. For students entering lower-earning fields at full pay, the long-run case depends heavily on graduate school and career trajectory.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Grinnell College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $109,892 | A |
| Economics | $110,724 | B |
| Biology | $56,275 | C+ |
| International Relations | $68,518 | C+ |
| Sociology | $28,216 | C |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | $53,105 | B |
| English Language and Literature | $36,854 | C+ |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $57,752 | C |
| Romance Languages | $54,983 | C |
| History | $54,703 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Computer Science leads Grinnell's program roster with strong outcomes: 62 graduates, $84,449 year-one, $109,892 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.194 (ROI grade A). Median debt of $16,375 against year-one earnings of $84k means the debt load is essentially negligible relative to earnings velocity. The ROI grade A reflects both high earnings and very low debt.
Economics
Economics (54 graduates) earns $46,791 year-one and $110,724 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.362 (ROI grade B). The year-four jump from $46,791 to $110,724 is striking - and reflects the typical Grinnell economics arc into consulting, finance, and law where year-one earnings understate long-run trajectories. Median debt of $16,950 at these career earnings is negligible. Economics is likely Grinnell's highest-volume professional path despite the modest year-one figure.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (35 graduates) earns $38,598 year-one and $53,105 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.429 (ROI grade B). Year-one earnings reflect a graduate population entering lab research, pre-medical training, or master's programs rather than industry roles. The four-year figure of $53k is consistent with early-career biomedical research positions. Graduates pursuing medical school show up in the data as lower earners in the near term but are not captured in the 6-year Scorecard window.
History
History (12 graduates) earns $39,687 year-one and $54,703 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.441 (ROI grade B). Grinnell history graduates move into law, public policy, and consulting at rates that improve the long-run earnings picture. Median debt of $17,500 at these earnings is manageable. The small sample size (12 graduates) means modest noise in the numbers.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 91.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 89.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 93.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Grinnell College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 14.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 710-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 700-750 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-34 |
| Enrollment | 1,729 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 17.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,576 |
At 14.5%, Grinnell is highly selective. SAT is 710-790 Math and 700-750 Reading, and ACT is 31-34. Grinnell's self-governed academic program (no distribution requirements, student-designed curriculum) is a differentiating feature that appeals to applicants with clear intellectual interests. Financial aid is transformative for families below $110,000 - the $7,789-$9,970 net price for lower-income brackets makes Grinnell genuinely accessible.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Grinnell's completion rate of 88.1% is strong.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grinnell College (this school) | 83 | $17,648 | $62,830 |
| Davidson College | 90 | $17,379 | $81,400 |
| Haverford College | 87 | $25,314 | $79,966 |
| Bates College | 82 | $29,351 | $69,498 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
Who Thrives Here
Grinnell admits 14.5% of applicants with SAT ranges of 710-790 Math and 700-750 Reading; ACT 31-34. At 1,729 students in Grinnell, Iowa, the campus is geographically isolated by design - students who thrive here tend to be self-directed, intellectually driven, and comfortable with a close-knit residential environment far from major metros. The Pell grant rate of 17.9% is moderate. Grinnell draws a nationally distributed student body, not a regional one. Students considering graduate school, research careers, or fields like policy, education, and nonprofit work fit Grinnell's graduate pipeline well.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Grinnell College pays off. You'd pay about $17,648 a year after aid ($70,592 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $62,830 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 7.6 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 88.1% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $17,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Grinnell College: Common Questions
Is Grinnell College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Grinnell College pays off. It scores 83/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $17,648 a year after aid ($70,592 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $62,830 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 7.6 years to earn back.
How much does Grinnell College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $17,648 a year, or roughly $70,592 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Grinnell College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $62,830 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,030 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Grinnell College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 7.6 years for Grinnell College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Grinnell College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,500, against average earnings of $36,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Grinnell College?
The six-year graduation rate is 88.1%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.