First-year deadlines, 2026–27
| Plan | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Early decision Apply early, hear early, and you must enroll if admitted. Binding. | November 15, 2026 |
| Early decision II A second, later early decision round. Also binding. | January 5, 2027 |
| Regular decision The standard deadline, with answers in spring. Not binding. | January 15, 2027 |
Plans are listed in calendar order. What the plans mean
Source: grinnell.edu · checked September 30, 2026
What families actually pay
Average yearly net price after grants, all students, by family income
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, College Scorecard · data snapshot October 2, 2026
AP credit
Most-taken exams, lowest score that earns credit| Exam | Min score | Grinnell College course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for…4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for both AB and BC exams. Not for major credit. | |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for…4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for both AB and BC exams. Not for major credit. | |
| Biology | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit | |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 as CHM-129 For major credit. | |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does…4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does not satisfy any prerequisite. Credit for Physics 1 exam will be canceled if the student receives credit for AP Physics C-Mechanics, IB Physics, A-Level Physics, CAPE Physics 1, or PHY-131. | |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 as PSY-113 Not for major credit. | |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 as SST-115 For major credit for departments…4 as SST-115 For major credit for departments that require SST-115 except for Political Science. They require SST-115 to be taken at Grinnell. | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does…4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does not satisfy any prerequisite. |
Show all 34 exams and every score level
| Exam | Min score | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for…4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for both AB and BC exams. Not for major credit. | |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for…4 as MAT-131 Students may not receive credit for both AB and BC exams. Not for major credit. | |
| Biology | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit | |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 as CHM-129 For major credit. | |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does…4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does not satisfy any prerequisite. Credit for Physics 1 exam will be canceled if the student receives credit for AP Physics C-Mechanics, IB Physics, A-Level Physics, CAPE Physics 1, or PHY-131. | |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 as PSY-113 Not for major credit. | |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 as SST-115 For major credit for departments…4 as SST-115 For major credit for departments that require SST-115 except for Political Science. They require SST-115 to be taken at Grinnell. | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does…4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does not satisfy any prerequisite. | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 4 as ECN-111 Not for major credit. Will receive 8…4 as ECN-111 Not for major credit. Will receive 8 credits if both AP Macro and Micro awarded. | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division Not for major…4 in Social Studies Division Not for major credit. Will receive 8 credits if both AP Macro and Micro awarded. | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division Not for major…4 in Social Studies Division Not for major credit. Will receive 8 credits if both AP Macro and Micro awarded. | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division Not for major credit. | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 in Interdisciplinary Division Not for…4 in Interdisciplinary Division Not for concentration or major credit. | |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does…4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does not satisfy any prerequisite. Credit for Physics 2 exam will be canceled if the student receives credit for AP Physics-E & M, CAPE Physics II, or PHY-132. | |
| European History | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division Not for major credit. | |
| Human Geography | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division Not for major credit. | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. | |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does…4 in Science Division Not for major credit. Does not satisfy any prerequisite. | |
| Art History | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. | |
| Music Theory | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. | |
| African American Studies | 4 | 4 in Interdisciplinary Division Not for major or…4 in Interdisciplinary Division Not for major or concentration credit. Will accept if taken fall 2022 or after. | |
| Art Studio/Design | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 as CHI-101 Not for major credit. | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division For major credit. | |
| English Lang - Comp | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. | |
| English Literature - Comp | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 4 as FRN-101 Not for major credit. | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 4 as GRM-101 Not for major credit. | |
| Government and Politics - U.S | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division For major credit. | |
| History - U.S | 4 | 4 in Social Studies Division Not for major credit. | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 as JPN-101 Not for major credit. | |
| Latin | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 as PHY-132 For major credit. | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 as PHY-131 For major credit. | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 4 in Humanities Division Not for major credit. |
Source: grinnell.edu · checked September 24, 2026
Biggest majors
| Major | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | 53 |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 38 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other | 35 |
| Political Science and Government | 35 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences | 33 |
| Biochemistry | 27 |
| Physics | 24 |
| English Language and Literature | 16 |
Show the other 20 majors
| Sociology | 15 |
| History | 14 |
| Mathematics | 14 |
| Anthropology | 12 |
| Chemistry | 10 |
| Spanish Language and Literature | 9 |
| Women's Studies | 9 |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 8 |
| Fine/Studio Arts | 6 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 5 |
| Philosophy | 4 |
| French Language and Literature | 3 |
| Theatre and Dance | 3 |
| Music | 2 |
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation | 2 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 2 |
| Russian Language and Literature | 1 |
| German Language and Literature | 1 |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | 1 |
| Psychology, Other | 1 |
Bachelor’s graduates, first major, most recent year · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Sports and campus life
Men’s varsity · NCAA Division III, Midwest Conference
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Swimming and Diving (combined), Tennis, Track and Field (Indoor), Track and Field (Outdoor)
Women’s varsity · NCAA Division III, Midwest Conference
Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving (combined), Tennis, Track and Field (Indoor), Track and Field (Outdoor), Volleyball
Faith groups
Cru, Hillel, Newman Connection
Also
Study abroad
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education athletics data (EADA), connection.newmanministry.com · checked September 4, 2026 · data snapshot October 2, 2026
The place
Setting
Town, remote
Federal locale classification
More about the place
Nearest airport
Des Moines International (DSM)
Nearest hub airport
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Walkability
EPA walkability index 7.3 of 20
Elevation
1,023 ft
Time zone
Central
January low
10°F
July high
83°F
Annual snowfall
31.0 in
Days at 90°F or higher
11 per year
One-bedroom fair market rent
$850 per month
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education (IPEDS locale), U.S. Census metro estimates, NOAA climate normals, HUD fair market rents, EPA walkability · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Colleges nearby
- Central College26 mi
- William Penn University30 mi
- Grand View University46 mi
- Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary47 mi
- Drake University49 mi
- Simpson College51 mi
Straight-line distance between campuses
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