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Everything we have for Carleton and Grinnell, grouped like the topic pages. Differences only hides the rows where they match or only one reports.
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| Metric | Carleton | Grinnell |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | ||
| Admissions data | Fall 2026Fall 2026 | Fall 2024 |
| Acceptance rate | 18%Fall 2026 | 15% |
| Acceptance rate, men / women | 18% / 23% | 13% / 16% |
| Acceptance rate, in-state / other states / international | 35% / 39% / 4.0%Fall 2025 | Not published |
| Yield, in-state / other states / international | 40% / 33% / 41%Fall 2025 | Not published |
| Applicants | 8,226Fall 2026 | 9,758 |
| Admitted | 1,456 | 1,416 |
| Enrolled | 501Fall 2026 | 438 |
| Yield | 35% | 31% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1460–1530Fall 2025 | 1410–1540 |
| ACT middle 50% | 32–35Fall 2025 | 31–34 |
| Sent an SAT | 204 (39%)Fall 2025 | – |
| Sent an ACT | 128 (25%)Fall 2025 | – |
| Scored 1400+ on the SAT | 91%Fall 2025 | – |
| Scored 30+ on the ACT | 95%Fall 2025 | – |
| Admission: High school GPA | Very importantFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: High school record | Required | Required |
| Admission: Class rank | Very importantFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: College-prep program | Required | Considered |
| Admission: Recommendations | Very importantFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: Essay | Very importantFall 2025 | Required |
| Admission: Legacy status | Not consideredFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: Work experience | ConsideredFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Considered |
| Admission: English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Admission: Other tests | Not considered | Considered |
| Average high school GPA | – | – |
| First-years in the top tenth of their class | 77% (of the 31% with a rank)Fall 2025 | – |
| Early decision | 35% of 760 admittedFall 2025 | – |
| Early action | Not offered2025–26 | – |
| Wait list | 33 admitted of 335 who acceptedFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Rigor of high school record | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Test scores | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Interview | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Extracurricular activities | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Talent or ability | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Character and personal qualities | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: First generation | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Geographic residence | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: State residency | Not consideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Religious affiliation | Not consideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Volunteer work | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Demonstrated interest | Not consideredFall 2025 | – |
| Test policy | Test-optionalFall 2027 applicants | Test-optional |
| Application fee | None | None |
| Deadlines & deposit | Apply by January 15 · reply by May 1Fall 2026 cycle | – |
| Gap year allowed | Yes, up to 1 year, with exceptions for military serviceFall 2026 cycle | – |
| Credit for AP exams | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer acceptance rate | 21%Fall 2025 | – |
| Students & campus | ||
| Setting | Town: Distant | Town: Remote |
| Carnegie class | Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Special Focus: Arts and Sciences |
| Research activity | Research college or university | Research college or university |
| Student access & earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings |
| HBCU, tribal, land-grant | None | None |
| Minority-serving, single-sex | None | None |
| Religious affiliation | None | None |
| Athletics | Division III | Division III |
| Conference | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Midwest Conference |
| ROTC | Not listed | Not listed |
| Study abroad | Offered | Offered |
| Undergraduate research program | Yes | Not listed |
| Calendar | Trimesters | Semesters |
| Undergrads | 2,086 | 1,729 |
| Beds in college housing | 1,840 | 1,450 |
| First-years must live on campus | Yes | Yes |
| Men in a fraternity | 0.0%Fall 2025 | – |
| Women in a sorority | 0.0%Fall 2025 | – |
| Fraternity/sorority housing | – | – |
| Greek councils present | – | – |
| Pell Grant | 17% | 18% |
| First-gen | 16% | 18% |
| Men / women | 50% / 50% | 46% / 54% |
| Part-time students | 0% | 0% |
| Students 25 and older | 0% | 0% |
| First-years from in state | 19% | 8% |
| First-years from other states | 70% | 68% |
| First-years from abroad | 11% | 21% |
| New transfer students this fall | 8 | 8 |
| Transfers, share of new undergraduates | 2% | 2% |
| Diversity index | 0.70 | 0.70 |
| Academics | ||
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 | 9 to 1 |
| Classes under 20 students | 72%Fall 2025 | – |
| Full-time faculty share | 87% | 81% |
| Average faculty salary | $125,636 | $113,182 |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded | 517 | 453 |
| Most popular majors | Computer Science 18% · Biology/Biological Sciences, General 11% · Chemistry, General 8% | Computer Science 13% · Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 10% · Sociology, General 9% |
| Instruction spending per student | $40,626 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $32,882 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Endowment per student | $629,894 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $1,543,843 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Tuition share of core revenue | 27% | 11% |
| Cost & aid | ||
| Average cost, all students (est.) | $51,187 | $37,528 |
| Aid generosity (grants ÷ full price) | 40% | 55% |
| Net price, students with grants | $28,047 | $34,363 |
| Sticker price, in-state | $84,893 | $83,490 |
| Sticker price, out-of-state | $84,893 | $83,490 |
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | No |
| Tuition & fees, in-state | $65,457 | $64,862 |
| Tuition & fees, out-of-state | $65,457 | $64,862 |
| First-years paying out-of-state rates | – | – |
| First-years with grants | 59% | 94% |
| Average grant | $56,846 | $49,077 |
| Aid from the college | 59% | 94% |
| Need-based aid up to | Published data end at $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | 3.1% got merit aid, averaging $2K | 65% got a grant without federal aid, averaging $42K (proxy) |
| Published promise | – | – |
| Aid forms | FAFSA · CSS Profile · NoncustodialFall 2026 entrants | – |
| Aid priority date or deadline | January 15 (priority)Fall 2026 entrants | – |
| Need met, first-years | 100%2025–26 (estimated) | – |
| Average aid package, first-years | $72,6672025–26 (estimated) | – |
| College grant dollars given as merit | 0%2025–26 (estimated) | – |
| Aid for international students | 63 students, average $81.6K2025–26 (estimated) | – |
| Outcomes | ||
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $75,525 | $62,830 |
| Graduation rate | 91% | 88% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients | 88% | 90% |
| Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 90% | 85% |
| Pell graduation gap | 2 pts lower | 5 pts higher |
| Finished within 4 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Graduated in 6 years, White students | 88% | 88% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Asian students | 91% | 93% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Hispanic/Latino students | 94% | 85% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Black students | Under 30 students | Under 30 students |
| Graduated in 6 years, students of two or more races | 95% | Under 30 students |
| Graduated in 6 years, international students | 91% | 92% |
| Retention rate | 94%Entered fall 2024 | 93% |
| Credential within 4 years, all students | 88% | 84% |
| Credential within 8 years, all students | 91% | 89% |
| Enrolled at another college, 8 years on | 7% | 9% |
| Median debt | $16,750 | $17,500 |
| Undergrads with a federal loan | 43% | 13% |
| Median debt, Pell Grant recipients | $14,983 | $12,775 |
| Website | carleton.edu | grinnell.edu |
Sources:Carleton College (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycle;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;National directories of campus chapters and groups, October 2026;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;College Scorecard, 2023–24;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;Common Data Set, most recent release;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;Grinnell College (2026–27), 2026–27About 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