Lawrence University vs Grinnell College

Lawrence University and Grinnell College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Lawrence, nestled in Appleton, Wisconsin, boasts a lower acceptance rate (29%) compared to Grinnell's 22%. While Grinnell's student body is slightly larger, both colleges share a commitment to small class sizes, fostering close interactions between students and professors. Lawrence's popular majors include music, biology, and psychology, while Grinnell excels in anthropology, political science, and economics. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Lawrence at 83% and Grinnell at 87%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these exceptional colleges and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Grinnell College logo

Grinnell College

Lawrence University logo

Lawrence University

Overview

Location Grinnell, Iowa Appleton, Wisconsin
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Trimester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 93.0% 89.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 10.5% 75.0%
Application fees
SAT range 1370 - 1530 1230 - 1460
ACT range 30 - 34 27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 29.0% 24.0%
Students submitting ACT score 33.0% 37.0%
Total number of applicants 10,513 2,907
Total number of admissions given out 1,108 2,179
Admitted students who chose to enroll 471 402
Yield rate 42.5% 18.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $76,098 $65,445
Average net price $37,423 $24,804
Tuition $58,156 $52,101
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,779

Meal plan: $7,572
Room/dormitory: $5,814

Meal plan: $5,370
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $35,821
100.0%
Average amount $39,841
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $3,952
57.0%
Average amount $5,053
Students taking out private loans 12.0%
Average amount $5,903
6.0%
Average amount $16,464

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,748
Men 47.5% Women 52.5%
1,483
Men 45.8% Women 54.2%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 91.5% 73.1%
International students 19.4% 12.3%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Small
Dormitory capacity 1,450 1,460
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Illinois Iowa Minnesota Texas Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota Texas California

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Physical Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • History
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.9% 80.5%
Dropout rate 12.9% 19.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,661
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $55,487
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,893
  • Year 2: $34,704
  • Year 3: $49,481
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,499
  • Year 2: $29,141
  • Year 3: $41,882
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,517
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,572
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: $37,882
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,508
  • Year 3: $37,613
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,718
  • Year 2: $19,227
  • Year 3: $29,237
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $28,680
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,658
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,239
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $54,035
  • Year 3: $51,421
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: $35,410
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,329
  • Year 3: $32,588
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,667
  • Year 3: $31,648
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $27,840
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $27,395
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $24,417
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $20,533
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,960
  • Year 3: N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $23,113
  • Year 3: N/A

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