Carleton College & Grinnell College -- Research Notes
Source: carleton_grinnell.md
Carleton College & Grinnell College -- Research Notes
Carleton College
- Type: Private liberal arts college (NCAA D-III, MIAC)
- Location: Northfield, MN
- Overall acceptance rate: 20.4% (Class of 2029 cycle, 7,449 applicants)
- ED acceptance rate: 38.8% combined ED1+ED2 (637 ED applicants, 247 admitted)
- SAT middle 50: 1470-1540 (EBRW 720-770, Math 730-790)
- ACT middle 50: 32-35
- Yield: 35% (507 enrolled of ~1,456 admitted)
- Class size: 518 (Class of 2029)
- Total undergrad enrollment: 2,128
- Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
- GPA: Average ~3.9 unweighted; 65% in top 10% of high school class
- Trimester system: 3 terms per year (unusual among peers)
Demographics (2024-2025)
- White: 51.5%, Asian: 10.3%, Black: 6.8%, Hispanic: 9.9%, International: 11.8%, Multiracial: 9.0%
- Women: 51%
- First-generation: 13%
- Students from 44 states and 17 countries
Financial Aid
- Meets 100% of demonstrated need
- Net price by income (IPEDS, Title IV recipients):
- $0-30K: $9,579
- $30K-48K: $9,358
- $48K-75K: $16,716
- $75K-110K: $23,290
- $110K+: $43,700
Athletics
- 506 student-athletes across 18 varsity sports (D-III, MIAC)
- ~23.8% of undergraduate enrollment
- Sports include football, soccer, cross country, swimming, tennis, track & field, basketball
Simulation Notes
- Category:
top_lac -- consistently ranked among top 5-10 liberal arts colleges nationally
- ED combined rate (~39%) is nearly 2x the overall rate -- moderate ED boost
- Remote Minnesota location contributes to lower yield (~35%) despite strong academics
- Trimester system and strong STEM programs are distinctive features
- Student-faculty ratio 9:1, 72% of classes under 20 students
Grinnell College
- Type: Private liberal arts college (NCAA D-III, Midwest Conference)
- Location: Grinnell, IA
- Overall acceptance rate: 14.5% (Class of 2028 cycle, 9,758 applicants)
- ED acceptance rate: ~41% ED1 (728 ED applicants total, 297 admitted); ED1 rate was 48% for Class of 2029
- SAT middle 50: 1430-1520 (EBRW 720-770, Math 730-790)
- ACT middle 50: 32-35
- Yield: 36% (438 enrolled of ~1,416 admitted)
- Class size: 450 (Class of 2028)
- Total undergrad enrollment: 1,788
- Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
- GPA: Average ~3.89 unweighted; 68% in top 10% of high school class
- Self-governance: Student-run governing body since 1871; open curriculum with no distribution requirements
Demographics (2024-2025)
- White: 48.0%, Asian: 9.5%, Black: 5.1%, Hispanic: 8.2%, International: 19.5%, Multiracial: 5.6%
- Women: 54%
- First-generation: 17%
- 20% international students from 42 countries
- 57% of incoming class identify as people of color or international students
Financial Aid
- No-loan policy: one of fewer than 10 US colleges that are need-blind, meet 100% of need, and replace all loans with grants
- Average financial aid package: $67,476
- Net price by income (IPEDS, Title IV recipients):
- $0-30K: $11,945
- $30K-48K: $14,818
- $48K-75K: $12,486
- $75K-110K: $22,085
- $110K+: $35,934
- $2.2B endowment (~$1.2M per student) supports generous aid
Athletics
- 542 student-athletes across 20 varsity sports (D-III, Midwest Conference)
- ~30.3% of undergraduate enrollment
- 24% of incoming class are recruited varsity athletes
Simulation Notes
- Category:
top_lac -- more selective than Carleton (14.5% vs 20.4%)
- Very high international enrollment (19.5%) -- notable for simulation diversity modeling
- No-loan policy is a strong yield driver for lower-income students
- ED rate (~41-48%) is ~3x the overall rate -- strong ED boost
- $48K-75K net cost is anomalously low ($12,486 < $14,818 for $30K-48K bracket) -- likely a data quirk in IPEDS reporting
- Open curriculum (no distribution requirements) similar to Brown and Amherst
- Rural Iowa location similar to Carleton's rural Minnesota -- both face yield challenges from location
Comparison Summary
| Metric |
Carleton |
Grinnell |
| Acceptance rate |
20.4% |
14.5% |
| ED rate |
38.8% |
~41-48% |
| SAT middle 50 |
1470-1540 |
1430-1520 |
| ACT middle 50 |
32-35 |
32-35 |
| Yield |
35% |
36% |
| Class size |
518 |
450 |
| International % |
11.8% |
19.5% |
| Athlete % |
23.8% |
30.3% |
| No-loan |
No |
Yes |
Both are top Midwest LACs with similar academic profiles but Grinnell is more selective and has a distinctively generous financial aid program. Carleton has a slightly higher SAT range but lower selectivity due to a smaller applicant pool.
Sources
- Carleton Class of 2029 Profile (carleton.edu)
- Grinnell Class of 2028 Profile (grinnell.edu)
- BigFuture College Board (2024-2025 CDS data)
- College Factual (net price by income, demographics)
- AdmissionsConsultants (ED rates, yield)
- The Carletonian (ED admissions reporting)
- The Scarlet & Black (Grinnell ED reporting)