Carleton vs Grinnell
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MNCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 4%A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 4%
At a glance
- For families earning up to $30,000, Carleton has the lower price after aid: $7,881 a year, against $9,970 at Grinnell.
- Grinnell has the lower average price after aid: $17,648 a year, against $25,407 at Carleton.
- Median earnings ten years after entry are higher at Carleton: $75,525, against $62,830 at Grinnell.
Scores
Compass Score
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 4%
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 4%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 3%
Value
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 20%
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 14%
The college
Category
Liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges
Location
Northfield, MN
Grinnell, IA
Setting
Town
Town
Students
2,069
1,775
Sports
NCAA Division III · Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA Division III · Midwest Conference
Admission
Admission rate
20%
15%
Average SAT
1517
1486
ACT middle 50%
32–34
31–34
Outcomes
Graduation rate
90%
88%
First-year retention
96%
93%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$75,525
$62,830
Median debt
$16,750
$17,500
Cost
Average price after aid
$25,407
$17,648
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$7,881
$9,970
$30,001–$48,000
$8,203
$7,789
$48,001–$75,000
$9,680
$9,669
$75,001–$110,000
$18,485
$19,348
Over $110,000
$44,082
$37,725
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Economics $87,193
- Political science $53,975
- Economics $110,724
- Computer science $109,892
- Political science $68,518
- Liberal arts $59,638
- Experimental psychology $57,752
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.