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. 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.
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. 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.
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $17,500 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
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. 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.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
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.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
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. 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.