Grinnell vs Williams
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
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%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.Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 1%
At a glance
- Williams has the higher graduation rate: 94% against 88% at Grinnell.
- For families earning up to $30,000, Williams has the lower price after aid: $0 or less a year, against $9,970 at Grinnell.
- Median earnings ten years after entry are higher at Williams: $88,665, against $62,830 at Grinnell.
Scores
Compass Score
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%
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 1%
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 3%
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%
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 14%
A+Value: 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%
The college
Category
Liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges
Location
Grinnell, IA
Williamstown, MA
Setting
Town
Town
Students
1,775
2,168
Sports
NCAA Division III · Midwest Conference
NCAA Division III · New England Small College Athletic Conference
Admission
Admission rate
15%
8%
Average SAT
1486
1533
ACT middle 50%
31–34
34–35
Outcomes
Graduation rate
88%
94%
First-year retention
93%
97%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$62,830
$88,665
Median debt
$17,500
$12,761
Cost
Average price after aid
$17,648
$17,716
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$9,970
$0 or less
$30,001–$48,000
$7,789
$0 or less
$48,001–$75,000
$9,669
$0 or less
$75,001–$110,000
$19,348
$3,030
Over $110,000
$37,725
$49,594
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Economics $110,724
- Computer science $109,892
- Political science $68,518
- Liberal arts $59,638
- Experimental psychology $57,752
- Computer science $209,574
- Economics $166,678
- Mathematics $134,304
- Political science $88,339
- Psychology $72,891
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.