Calvin University
Grand Rapids, MI · Private · Midsize city · Calvin
Private institution in Grand Rapids, MI · 2,921 undergraduates · 71% acceptance rate · $58,375 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 12%Graduation rate (4-year)
- Top 16%Full-time retention
- Top 23%Median ACT
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $24,7831,465th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $38,6701,613th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $38,6701,573rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $53,2861,570th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $23,2501,040th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $58,375620th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $48,039658th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 77.4%250th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 88.5%290th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 71.3%650th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1205390th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 27222nd highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 2,921711th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 14.0:11,172nd smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 14.4%1,957th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 124 mi (DTW)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $35
- Personal essay
- Required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 59 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering, GeneralEngineering | bachelors | $62,608 | $65,188 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $59,011 | $57,770 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $58,221 | $57,564 |
| Computer Science | bachelors | $57,318 | $61,020 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $46,177 | $45,980 |
| Communication and Media StudiesCommunications | bachelors | $44,091 | $32,382 |
| Special Education and TeachingEducation | bachelors | $37,424 | $39,009 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationCommunications | bachelors | $37,208 | $33,993 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $36,560 | $35,060 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation | bachelors | $35,714 | $31,314 |
| History | bachelors | $35,330 | $24,035 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsForeign Languages | bachelors | $33,192 | $31,133 |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Christian Reformed Churchsource
- Founded in 1876source
- Athletic nickname: "Knights"source
- Competes in NCAA Division IIIsource
- School colors: Maroon and Goldsource
- Motto: "My heart I offer to you, O Lord, promptly and sincerely"source
- Formerly known as "Calvin College and Seminary" (1876–1906)source
- Formerly known as "John Calvin Junior College" (1906–1931)source
- Formerly known as "Calvin College" (1931–2019)source
- Athletic conference: MIAAsource
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]] institutionsource
- Notable alum: Alvin Plantingasource
- Notable alum: Betsy DeVossource
- Notable alum: Paul Schradersource
Athletics — 14 sports
NCAA Division III with football · NCAA Division III
Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Other Sports
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field (Indoor)
- Track and Field (Outdoor)
- Volleyball
- Volleyball: 2016, 2013, 2010
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.
Key links
- Official websitecalvin.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 169080)
- Compare colleges in MIRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in MichiganEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Calvin University vs Baker CollegeHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 14 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.