Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Grinnell College #326 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $58,955, placing Grinnell College in the 39.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Grinnell College #188 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Students at Grinnell College achieve median 4-year earnings that place the college well above most institutions in the Azimuth coverage set, reflecting the long-run payoff of a liberal arts education anchored in social sciences and supported by strong graduate and professional school pathways. The college's mobility ranking reflects how consistently graduates from a range of backgrounds convert their degrees into durable economic progress — a signal that complements the institution's composite standing among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Grinnell College #326 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university in Grinnell, IA, Grinnell College enrolls roughly 1,729 undergraduates. Retention stands at 92.6% and the six-year graduation rate is 88.1%, placing the college among the stronger performers nationally for converting enrollment into degree completion. Where Grinnell College performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Grinnell College #572 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $58,955, a figure that reflects the college's concentration in Social Sciences and its graduates' tendency to pursue advanced degrees and high-earning professional paths after leaving Grinnell. The earnings beyond expectations performance is a meaningful part of the return story — Grinnell College moves its graduates into strong career outcomes at rates that outpace what comparable institutions achieve. Access and affordability shape the composite's lower pillars. Grinnell College admits about 14.5% of applicants, a selectivity level that, by design, limits the size of each entering class and the number of low-income students the institution enrolls — 17.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 17.6% are first-generation college students. Grinnell College sits in the 49.3 percentile for access and the 70.6 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a high sticker price that the college's need-based aid program substantially reshapes for qualifying families. Mobility sits in the 87.4 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Grinnell College's published cost of attendance is $83,440, but need-based aid significantly reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $9,970; middle-income families pay around $9,669; higher-income families pay approximately $37,725. Azimuth ranks Grinnell College #419 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Grinnell's aid structure is need-based and meets demonstrated financial need in full for admitted students under current financial aid policies. The college uses the FAFSA and CSS Profile for aid determination, and work-study is available as part of aid packages. The difference between published cost and actual net price reflects Grinnell's commitment to making attendance affordable across income levels, though families should verify current aid policies on the college's financial aid website. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $36,324; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $58,955, median federal debt of $17,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $198 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Grinnell College is a strong fit for students drawn to the social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary inquiry who want a small liberal arts college experience in a rural IA setting and are comfortable with a higher sticker price offset by robust need-based aid. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $58,955, placing Grinnell College in the 39.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — a figure that reflects the college's concentration in Social Sciences and related fields, where early-career earnings tend to be moderate but long-run trajectories often strengthen considerably. Grinnell College enrolls 17.9% of undergraduates who receive Pell Grants and 17.6% who are first-generation students, and its need-based aid model is designed to meet demonstrated financial need — making it a realistic option for lower-income families despite a high published cost. Higher-income families pay a net price closer to $37,725, and median student debt at graduation is $17,500. Fit depends on two realistic filters: Grinnell College admits about 14.5% of applicants, making the process highly competitive, and its program portfolio is oriented toward research, writing, and analytical fields rather than applied-professional ones — students whose academic interests align with those areas will find the strongest match here.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Grinnell College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Grinnell College's published cost of attendance is $83,440, but need-based aid significantly reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $9,970; middle-income families pay around $9,669; higher-income families pay approximately $37,725.
Azimuth ranks Grinnell College #419 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Grinnell's aid structure is need-based and meets demonstrated financial need in full for admitted students under current financial aid policies. The college uses the FAFSA and CSS Profile for aid determination, and work-study is available as part of aid packages.
The difference between published cost and actual net price reflects Grinnell's commitment to making attendance affordable across income levels, though families should verify current aid policies on the college's financial aid website. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $36,324; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $58,955, median federal debt of $17,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $198 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $58,955, placing Grinnell College in the 39.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $57,042 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Azimuth ranks Grinnell College #572 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern at Grinnell College reflects its concentration in Social Sciences and related analytical fields.
Social Sciences accounts for 21% of degrees, with Arts representing 7% and other STEM fields contributing 6%. Computer Science is the standout program by aggregate return — combining cohort scale with strong four-year earnings — and Azimuth ranks Computer Science #119 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 56 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $109,892, roughly 1.0x the national benchmark for the field [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology follows with 48 graduates earning $53,105 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology #59 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among the broader program lineup, Economics (46 graduates, $110,724 median 4-year earnings) and Biology, General (40 graduates, $56,275 median 4-year earnings) round out the fields where Grinnell College delivers consistent returns, with Azimuth ranking Economics #39 and Biology, General #249 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Applied Economics
46 graduates
Computer Science
56 graduates
American Government and Politics (United States)
38 graduates
Behavioral Neuroscience
33 graduates
Biology, General
40 graduates
Grinnell College's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, a signature consistent with its identity as a small liberal arts college in Iowa. Computer Science is the largest program by graduate count, with 56 graduates, followed by Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology with 48 graduates, Mathematics with 48 graduates, Economics with 46 graduates, and Biology, General with 40 graduates.
The mix spans Social Sciences (21% of graduates), Arts (7%), and other STEM fields (6%), reflecting a broadly humanistic curriculum with meaningful quantitative depth. Computer Science anchors the institution's strongest aggregate financial outcomes, combining enrollment scale with competitive median earnings four years after enrollment.
Among the highest-earning programs, Azimuth ranks Economics #39 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 46 graduates earning $110,724. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #119 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 56 graduates earning $109,892, and Political Science ranks #86 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 38 graduates earning $68,518.
These programs deliver the institution's strongest direct-to-workforce earnings outcomes. Several of Grinnell College's most popular programs — including Computer Science and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology — are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount the longer-term trajectory of graduates who continue to law school, graduate study, or professional programs.
Economics and Biology, General, by contrast, are more direct-to-workforce fields where median earnings four years after enrollment of $110,724 and $56,275 respectively reflect near-term labor-market outcomes.
Consider these schools with similar outcomes but higher acceptance rates:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Iowa State University Higher acceptance rate (76.4 percentage points higher) and located 51 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IA | 89% | $63,386 | Compare |
Mount Mercy University Higher acceptance rate (66.1 percentage points higher) and located 58 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IA | 79% | $60,787 | Compare |
University Of Iowa Higher acceptance rate (72 percentage points higher) and located 61 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IA | 85% | $64,762 | Compare |
Wheaton College Higher acceptance rate (77.3 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | IL | 90% | $63,756 | Compare |
Hamline University Higher acceptance rate (77.1 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | MN | 90% | $61,106 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
College Of The Holy Cross Similar quality tier (#10904 ranked) | MA | 18% | $90,543 | #10904 | Compare |
Dominican University Similar quality tier in Midwest (#10929 ranked) | IL | 90% | $60,327 | #10929 | Compare |
Manhattan University Similar quality tier (#10932 ranked) | NY | 79% | $86,316 | #10932 | Compare |
Florida Institute Of Technology Similar quality tier (#10936 ranked) | FL | 40% | $43,137 | #10936 | Compare |
The Christ College Of Nursing And Health Sciences Similar quality tier in Midwest (#10888 ranked) | OH | 59% | $68,303 | #10888 | Compare |
