Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, MI · Private · Midsize city
Private institution in Grand Rapids, MI · 1,387 undergraduates · 73% acceptance rate · $47,314 median earnings 10 years after entry.
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
- $22,3841,301st cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $29,1001,318th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $29,1001,214th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $40,7371,225th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $25,0001,238th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $47,3141,229th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $42,5981,053rd highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 61.6%708th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 83.8%491st highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 73.2%693rd most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- 23493rd highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 1,3871,166th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,301st smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 29.7%1,202nd highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 126 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
- Free
- Personal essay
- Optional / not 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 41 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $45,340 | $46,924 |
| MarketingBusiness | bachelors | $44,747 | $40,485 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $36,042 | $31,133 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationCommunications | bachelors | $33,993 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation | bachelors | $33,993 | $38,289 |
| Social WorkPublic Administration | bachelors | $31,852 | — |
| Communication and Media StudiesCommunications | bachelors | $30,119 | — |
| Psychology, GeneralPsychology | bachelors | $28,598 | $32,162 |
| Health and Physical Education/FitnessParks, Recreation & Fitness | bachelors | $28,366 | $25,774 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesLiberal Arts | bachelors | $28,236 | $25,194 |
| Film/Video and Photographic ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $27,439 | — |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized MinistriesTheology | bachelors | $21,508 | — |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Interdenominationalsource
- Founded in 1941source
- School colors: #13294B and #D9C89Dsource
- Athletic nickname: "Golden Eagles"source
- Mascot: Golden Eaglesource
- Formerly known as "Baptist Bible Institute" (1941–1963)source
- Formerly known as "Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College and Seminary" (1963–1994)source
- Formerly known as "Cornerstone College and Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary" (1994–1999)source
- Athletic conference: NAIAsource
Athletics — 12 sports
NAIA Division I · NAIA
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $1,692,184 (M $905,917 · W $786,267)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Other Sports
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field (Indoor)
- Track and Field (Outdoor)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Cornerstone University’s 1,387 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In MI
- Lake Superior State UniversitySault Ste Marie, MI · 1,391 undergrads
- Albion CollegeAlbion, MI · 1,347 undergrads
- College for Creative StudiesDetroit, MI · 1,285 undergrads
- Kettering UniversityFlint, MI · 1,279 undergrads
- Andrews UniversityBerrien Springs, MI · 1,262 undergrads
- Siena Heights UniversityAdrian, MI · 1,533 undergrads
Elsewhere
- Bridgewater CollegeBridgewater, VA · 1,388 undergrads
- Concordia University TexasAustin, TX · 1,388 undergrads
- William Penn UniversityOskaloosa, IA · 1,391 undergrads
- College of Saint BenedictSaint Joseph, MN · 1,392 undergrads
- Viterbo UniversityLa Crosse, WI · 1,392 undergrads
- Concord UniversityAthens, WV · 1,394 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitecornerstone.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 170037)
- 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
- Compare with Lake Superior State UniversitySide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Cornerstone University vs Lake Superior State UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 12 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.