“A nationally top-ranked liberal arts college with an individually advised curriculum, massive endowment, and a tradition of social responsibility on the Iowa prairie.”
Grinnell College is one of the nation's leading liberal arts colleges, featuring a distinctive individually advised curriculum that allows students to design their academic path without core requirements beyond a single First-Year Tutorial. Founded in 1846 by New England Congregationalists as the first four-year liberal arts college west of the Mississippi, Grinnell is located in a progressive small town in the heart of the Iowa prairie, approximately midway between Des Moines and Iowa City. With about 1,788 undergraduates and a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, Grinnell emphasizes close mentoring relationships, hands-on learning, and self-governance. The college's $2.85 billion endowment — one of the largest per student in the nation — supports need-blind admissions, meeting 100% of demonstrated need with no-loan financial aid packages, and extensive research opportunities. Grinnell's 65% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and all courses are taught by full-time faculty holding terminal degrees.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Forbes America's Top Colleges
Forbes 2025
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Decision I
Binding
Early Decision II
Binding
Regular Decision
Merit Scholarship Priority
Domestic applicants
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$72,346
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Programs combining analytical rigor with social inquiry and policy analysis. Economics is among the most popular and rigorous offerings.
Strong STEM programs with emphasis on undergraduate research, laboratory work, and faculty collaboration. Computer science is the most popular major.
Rich programs in literature, languages, philosophy, and the arts with emphasis on critical thinking and creative expression.
4 years
Grinnell's most popular major with 48 degrees awarded annually. Features dedicated faculty, project-based learning, hands-on research, and modern computing facilities. Graduates earn among the highest starting salaries of any Grinnell major at $70,658 average early career.
4 years
A rigorous program combining economic theory with applied research, quantitative analysis, and policy evaluation. Students engage in empirical research and capstone experiences that prepare them for careers in finance, policy, and graduate study.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $68,106
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
