Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI · Public · Town (fringe) · GVSU · Grand Valley · Grand Valley State
Public institution in Allendale, MI · 19,073 undergraduates · 95% acceptance rate · $56,118 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 6%Undergraduates
- Top 23%Graduation rate (4-year)
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
- $17,096835th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $14,628930th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $20,820913th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $26,578790th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $24,5001,196th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $56,118733rd highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $47,840670th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 68.7%477th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 76.7%861st highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 94.7%1,397th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1079767th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 19,073124th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,317th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 25.8%1,438th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 123 mi (ORD)
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 79 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $74,307 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,022 | — |
| Manufacturing EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $69,338 | — |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $67,473 | $69,338 |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology | bachelors | $65,238 | $58,479 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $65,131 | $65,969 |
| Information Science/StudiesComputer Science | bachelors | $64,328 | $59,124 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $58,172 | $57,535 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $53,942 | $55,151 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | $50,856 | $52,789 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $48,883 | $49,370 |
| Business/Managerial EconomicsBusiness | bachelors | $48,725 | $49,084 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1960source
- Athletic nickname: "Lakers"source
- Mascot: Louie the Lakersource
- Lubbers Stadium seats about 10,700source
- Competes in NCAA Division IIsource
- Motto: "Educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies."source
- Athletic conference: GLIACsource
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]] institutionsource
- Plays for the "Anchor–Bone Trophy{{cite web|url=https://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/fball/2019-20/releases/20190829djpml3|title=Fox Sports Detroit To Televise 2019 Anchor-Bone Classic Live From Top Taggart Field|date=August 29, 2019|publisher=Ferris State Bulldogs |access-date=November 11, 2019}}" (since 1971)source
- Football rivalry: Battle of the Valleys (since 1975)source
- Plays for the "Wooden Shoes Trophy" (since 1975)source
- Fight song: ""GVSU Victory""source
- Notable alum: Thomas Remengesau Jr.source
- Notable alum: Tony Fergusonsource
Athletics — 12 sports
NCAA Division II with football · NCAA Division II
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $5,741,273 (M $3,161,388 · W $2,579,885)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Basketball: 2026, 2025
- Soccer: 2021, 2019, 2015, 2014, 2013 +2
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitegvsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 170082)
- 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: Grand Valley State University vs Wayne 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.