Luther College vs Grinnell College

Luther College and Grinnell College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Luther, rooted in its Lutheran heritage, fosters a close-knit community with a focus on personalized attention and a strong sense of belonging. Grinnell, known for its academic rigor and innovative curriculum, emphasizes interdisciplinary learning and global engagement. While Luther boasts a higher acceptance rate, Grinnell attracts a more diverse student body. Both colleges excel in preparing students for postgraduate success, with impressive graduation rates and strong alumni networks. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover the nuances that set these two colleges apart and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Grinnell College	Luther College
Overview
Location	Grinnell, Iowa	Decorah, Iowa
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Town: Remote
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	93.0%	84.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation		Evangelical

Admission
Acceptance rate	10.5%	76.1%
Application fees
SAT range	1370 - 1530	1088 - 1318
ACT range	30 - 34	22 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	29.0%	8.0%
Students submitting ACT score	33.0%	37.0%
Total number of applicants	10,513	2,495
Total number of admissions given out	1,108	1,898
Admitted students who chose to enroll	471	444
Yield rate	42.5%	23.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$76,098	$61,175
Average net price	$37,423	$25,929
Tuition	$58,156	$46,130
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,779 Meal plan: $7,572	Room/dormitory: $4,870 Meal plan: $5,490
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $35,821	100.0% Average amount $34,281
Students receiving federal student loan	36.0% Average amount $3,952	69.0% Average amount $5,292
Students taking out private loans	12.0% Average amount $5,903	13.0% Average amount $13,652

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,748 Men 47.5% Women 52.5%	1,744 Men 43.4% Women 56.6%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	91.5%	70.5%
International students	19.4%	9.9%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	1,450	2,156
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	Minnesota Iowa Wisconsin Illinois California

Academics
Popular study areas	Social Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures Physical Science Visual & Performing Arts Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts Social Sciences Biological and Biomedical Sciences Philosophy and Religious Studies
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	86.9%	72.5%
Dropout rate	12.9%	27.4%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
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 Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,195 Year 2: $75,518 Year 3: $91,432 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,140 Year 2: $65,441 Year 3: $66,753 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,758 Year 2: $56,641 Year 3: $64,932 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,532 Year 2: $43,426 Year 3: $55,251 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,545 Year 2: $45,175 Year 3: $50,853 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,709 Year 2: $36,848 Year 3: $44,954 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,831 Year 2: $35,401 Year 3: $41,091 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,489 Year 2: $38,559 Year 3: $40,687 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,592 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $38,953 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,828 Year 2: $27,536 Year 3: $38,178

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