Quad
Grinnell
Macalester

Key differences on Cost & aid

  1. 1

    Grinnell costs about $8.1K less per year on average than Macalester ($37,528 vs. $45,674, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  2. 2

    Grinnell's grants cover 55% of its full price on average, vs. 45% at Macalester

    Aid generosity

Cost & aid

Cost & aid

Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.

What students pay

Average cost, all students
Grinnell$37.5K
Macalester$45.7K
Aid generosity
Grinnell55%
Macalester45%
Net price, with grants
Grinnell$34.4K
Macalester$40.2K

Grants

First-years receiving grants
Grinnell94%
Macalester87%
Average grant
Grinnell$49.1K
Macalester$42.8K
Aid from the college
Grinnell94%
Macalester87%

Sticker prices

On one scale, so the bars read against each other.

Sticker price, in-state
Grinnell$83.5K
Macalester$83K
Sticker price, out-of-state
Grinnell$83.5K
Macalester$83K
Tuition & fees, in-state
Grinnell$64.9K
Macalester$64.9K
Tuition & fees, out-of-state
Grinnell$64.9K
Macalester$64.9K
First-years paying out-of-state rates
GrinnellNot reported
MacalesterNot reported
What families at each income pay

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

  • MacalesterPublished data end at $110K

    Merit possible (proxy); averaging $37K

Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.

Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises

MetricGrinnellMacalester
Need-based aid up to Published data end at $110KPublished data end at $110K
Merit for students without need 65% got a grant without federal aid, averaging $42K (proxy)54% got a grant without federal aid, averaging $37K (proxy)
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

MetricGrinnellMacalester
Tuition guarantee NoNo
Promise program NoNo

All cost numbers in the table

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 releaseAbout 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