Acceptance Rate
71%
Avg. SAT
1440
75th percentile
“In a sleepy Illinois prairie town where Lincoln once debated Douglas, Knox College hands you the reins to craft your own liberal arts adventure amid abolitionist roots and wide-open prairies.”
Galesburg, IL
Location
Town
Campus Setting
You'll step onto Knox's redbrick campus in Galesburg, a distant town of 30,000 where freight trains rumble through and winters bite hard—founded in 1837 by anti-slavery Presbyterians who fled Lane Seminary's compromises, it became one of the first coed colleges west of the Appalachians and hosted the pivotal fifth Lincoln-Douglas debate in 1858 on its lawn, drawing 20,000 spectators. This legacy shapes a personality that's gritty, egalitarian, and unpretentious, attracting students who crave deep discussions over rah-rah athletics or urban buzz; independent thinkers who design their own majors thrive here, but if you need structure, hand-holding, or a pulsing social scene, the isolation—three hours from Chicago—might wear thin, especially when snow buries the prairies.
Photo Gallery
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
Knox's Open Curriculum ditches gen-ed mandates, letting you dive straight into passions like creative writing (home to the oldest literary magazine west of the Appalachians), neuroscience, or environmental studies in the 280-acre Linnaeus Arboretum, where you'll map prairie ecosystems hands-on. With a 10:1 student-faculty ratio tighter than at most peers, expect seminar-style classes where professors like the biochem chair challenge you to co-author papers as a sophomore; research feels accessible, not elite-gated, but the small size means fewer specialized labs or big-name lecturers compared to urban flagships, and you'll hustle more for internships off-campus.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
1,136 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
48%
Black / African American
6%
Hispanic / Latino
13%
Asian
4%
Other / Multi-racial
29%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Galesburg, IL
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
Picture a typical week: morning seminars in historic Old Main, afternoons in study groups or the Gizmo coffee shop, evenings at house parties in your residence hall—freshmen bond in all-freshmen dorms before choosing themed houses like the eco-focused Beehive. Traditions like Flunk Day (a cannon blast signals a surprise all-campus holiday with picnics and games) and the Green Room cabaret infuse quirky energy, while 120 clubs keep things lively despite minimal Greek life; the vibe skews collaborative and low-key, with Prairie Fire basketball drawing crowds, but challenges hit in the quiet town—no late-night diners or concerts without a drive, and Midwestern reserve means friendships brew slowly amid brutal January winds.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Midwest Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$19,060
$30K – $48K
$17,688
$48K – $75K
$18,779
$75K – $110K
$22,136
$110K+
$31,981
Apply for Financial Aid
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
83%
4 Years Graduation Rate
68%
6 Years Graduation Rate
77%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$54,820
83% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Knox College and return in the fall. 68% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 77% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
68%
4-6 years
9%
Non-grad
23%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$52,461
Acceptance
71%
Undergrads
1,136
4-Year Grad Rate
68%
Endowment
$165M
Galesburg, IL 61401
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