Grinnell College Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

Grinnell College admitted 1,416 students out of 9,758 applicants for the Class of 2028, yielding an acceptance rate of 14.51%.

Data for the Class of 2029 is also available, though figures remain incomplete: Grinnell reported approximately 9,300 applicants and an overall acceptance rate of around 16%, without disclosing the number of admitted students. For the Class of 2030, Grinnell has not yet released official admissions figures. 

In this blog, we’ll walk through Grinnell’s latest available overall, early decision, regular decision, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates and see how they’ve changed over time.

• Grinnell College Acceptance Rates
• Grinnell College Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Grinnell College Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Grinnell College Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Grinnell College Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Grinnell College Acceptance Rates

Grinnell’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 came in at 14.51%, a slight increase from the 12.68% recorded for the Class of 2027. This uptick reflects a modest decline in applications, down from 9,988 to 9,758, while the number of admitted students rose from 1,266 to 1,416.

Overall, Grinnell’s acceptance rate has trended downward over the past decade, falling from above 28% for the Class of 2021 to the mid-teens in recent years. Here’s the complete picture:

Note: All data has been compiled from Grinnell College’s Common Data Set and official news releases. 

Applications grew steadily from 5,850 for the Class of 2021 to a peak of 10,513 for the Class of 2025, coinciding with the widespread adoption of test-optional policies during and after the pandemic. That surge in volume pushed the acceptance rate from 28.87% down to a low of 10.54%. 

The Class of 2024 saw a notable jump to 19.25%, driven by a sharp drop in applications to 8,137, before the rate resumed its downward trend as application volumes recovered. The Class of 2028’s rate of 14.51% reflects a slight easing from the 2027 low of 12.68%, with applications ticking down modestly.

For the Class of 2029, Grinnell released only an approximate applicant count of around 9,300 and an overall acceptance rate of approximately 16%, without disclosing the number of admitted students. Based on those figures, we can estimate that roughly 1,488 students were offered admission that cycle.

Grinnell College Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent Early Decision figures we have are from the Class of 2028, when Grinnell received 828 ED applications and admitted 283 students for an acceptance rate of 34.18%, up from 40.80% for the Class of 2027.

Grinnell has not yet released Early Decision statistics for the Class of 2029 or Class of 2030.

Grinnell College Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Grinnell’s ED acceptance rate has declined significantly over the past decade, falling from above 60% for the Class of 2021 to the mid-30s in recent years. Here’s a breakdown:

Note: All data has been compiled from Grinnell College’s Common Data Set.

ED applications have grown substantially, from 322 for the Class of 2021 to 828 for the Class of 2028, more than doubling over that span. Admitted totals have remained relatively stable, ranging from 150 to 297, which means the rising application volume has been the primary driver pushing the ED acceptance rate down from 61.18% to 34.18%. 

The Class of 2024 stands out as an exception, with a lower admit count of 150 producing an atypically low ED rate of 39.06% before the rate climbed back into the 40–50% range the following years, then settled at 34.18% for the Class of 2028 as ED volume continued to grow.

Grinnell College Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

The Class of 2028 gives us the latest RD data: 8,930 applications yielded 1,133 acceptances for a 12.69% acceptance rate, up from 10.46% for the Class of 2027.

Grinnell has not yet released Regular Decision statistics for the Class of 2029 or Class of 2030.

Grinnell College Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Grinnell’s RD acceptance rate has trended downward over the past decade, falling from above 26% for the Class of 2021 to the low double digits in recent years. Here’s how the RD statistics have evolved:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting ED data from overall totals in Grinnell’s Common Data Set.

RD applications grew from 5,528 for the Class of 2021 to a peak of 10,014 for the Class of 2025, mirroring the broader surge in overall applications during the test-optional era. 

Admitted totals, however, fluctuated considerably, dropping to a low of 784 for the Class of 2026 before climbing back to 1,133 for the Class of 2028. That combination of rising application volume and inconsistent admit counts pushed the RD acceptance rate from 26.99% down to a low of 8.19% for the Class of 2025, with a sharp rebound to 18.26% for the Class of 2024 driven by a significant dip in applications that year.

Across all available years, ED acceptance rates have consistently run significantly higher than RD rates, suggesting that students who apply early have a meaningfully better shot at admission. That said, ED applicants tend to represent some of the strongest candidates in the pool, which makes ED a strategic advantage for well-prepared students.

Grinnell College Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent available Grinnell transfer data comes from Fall 2024, with an acceptance rate of 18.89%. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2024 transfer data is from Grinnell College’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

Grinnell’s transfer acceptance rate of 18.89% is notably more generous than its first-year overall rate of 14.51% for the same reporting year, though the transfer applicant pool is considerably smaller at just 90 applicants.

Grinnell College Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent waitlist data comes from the Class of 2028, when Grinnell admitted 36 students from the waitlist. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: All data has been compiled from Grinnell College’s Common Data Set.

The number of students admitted from the waitlist can vary considerably from year to year depending on yield rates and enrollment needs. That volatility is evident looking further back: for the Class of 2020, the waitlist acceptance rate was 9.39%, and for the Class of 2027, it was just 0.14%. The wide variance across years makes it difficult for waitlisted applicants to gauge their chances in any given cycle.

If you find yourself on Grinnell’s waitlist, the sensible approach is to treat it as one possibility among several and move forward with other offers.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Grinnell College’s current acceptance rate?

The most recent confirmed acceptance rate is 14.51% for the Class of 2028. Grinnell received 9,758 applications and admitted 1,416 students.

2. Is it easier to get into Grinnell through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Historically, ED applicants have fared significantly better than RD applicants. For the Class of 2028, the ED rate was 34.18% compared to 12.69% for RD, nearly three times higher. That said, ED applicants also tend to be among the most competitive candidates in the pool.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Grinnell?

For Fall 2024, only 17 out of 90 applicants were admitted, an 18.89% transfer acceptance rate. While this is higher than the first-year overall rate, the transfer pool is very small, and admission is still selective.

4. What are my chances of getting off Grinnell’s waitlist?

Your chances depend entirely on the year and Grinnell’s enrollment needs. For the Class of 2028, Grinnell admitted 36 students from the waitlist for a rate of 3.05%. The waitlist acceptance rate has varied widely across years, from as low as 0.14% for the Class of 2027 to 9.39% for the Class of 2020.

5. Why is Grinnell’s acceptance rate so low?

Grinnell’s acceptance rate reflects the gap between growing application volume and a deliberately small class size. As a highly selective liberal arts college with a strong academic reputation, Grinnell attracts a large and competitive applicant pool each year but admits only around 1,200 to 1,400 students annually.

Takeaways

• Grinnell’s acceptance rate has declined significantly, from 28.87% for the Class of 2021 to a record low of 10.54% for the Class of 2025. The most recent confirmed figure is 14.51% for the Class of 2028, with the Class of 2029 reporting an approximate rate of 16%.
• ED offers a significant statistical advantage. For the Class of 2028, the ED rate was 34.18% compared to 12.69% for RD, though early applicants also tend to be among the strongest candidates in the pool.
• Grinnell’s transfer acceptance rate of 18.89% for Fall 2024 is higher than the 14.51% first-year rate for the Class of 2028, but with only 90 applicants and 17 admits, available spots are very limited.
• For the Class of 2028, Grinnell admitted just 36 students from the waitlist for a 3.05% acceptance rate. Outcomes vary widely year to year, ranging from 0.14% for the Class of 2027 to 9.39% for the Class of 2020, depending on enrollment needs.
• With acceptance rates in the low double digits, working with a college admissions expert can help you build a stronger application and improve your chances of standing out in Grinnell’s competitive pool.