Key differences on Cost & aid
- 1
Grinnell costs about $13.7K less per year on average than Carleton ($37,528 vs. $51,187, all students)
Average cost, all students - 2
Grinnell's grants cover 55% of its full price on average, vs. 40% at Carleton
Aid generosity
Cost & aid
Cost & aid
Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.
What students pay
Grants
Sticker prices
On one scale, so the bars read against each other.
Up to $110K: the average net price per year for students receiving federal aid, 2023–24; families who didn't file the FAFSA aren't included. Above it the published data end. For your own number, use the college's net price calculator .
Family income per year $150K
- GrinnellPublished data end at $110K
Merit possible (proxy); averaging $42K
- CarletonPublished data end at $110K
Merit possible; averaging $2K
Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.
Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises
| Metric | Grinnell | Carleton |
|---|---|---|
| Need-based aid up to | Published data end at $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | 65% got a grant without federal aid, averaging $42K (proxy) | 3.1% got merit aid, averaging $2K |
| Published promise | – | – |
A college's own promise is stated for a typical family and changes yearly; where a promise and our estimate disagree, the promise wins. Merit has no income limit, so it can lower the price above the point where need-based aid ends.
Tuition guarantee & Promise program
| Metric | Grinnell | Carleton |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | No |
From the colleges' Common Data Sets
| Metric | Grinnell | Carleton |
|---|---|---|
| Aid forms | – | FAFSA · CSS Profile · Noncustodial |
| Aid priority date or deadline | – | January 15 (priority) |
| Need met, first-years | – | 100% |
| Average aid package, first-years | – | $72,667 |
| College grant dollars given as merit | – | 0% |
| Aid for international students | – | 63 students, average $81.6K |
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;Grinnell College (2026–27), 2026–27;Common Data Set, most recent release;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26 (estimated);Carleton College (2026–27), 2026–27;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why