Grand View University
Des Moines, IA · Private · Midsize city · GVC · GVU
Private institution in Des Moines, IA · 1,472 undergraduates · 98% acceptance rate · $52,824 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
- $21,6161,241st cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $33,4501,429th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $33,4501,368th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $46,1881,365th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $22,500934th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $52,824917th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $47,582688th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 55.8%926th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 73.0%1,083rd highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 98.4%1,501st most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- 20798th highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 1,4721,123rd largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 12.0:1782nd smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 38.1%787th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 226 mi (MSP)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- RDJul 17
- 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 45 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $54,035 | $59,485 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $53,813 | $54,621 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $51,750 | $46,478 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $50,231 | $47,729 |
| Human Resources Management and ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $49,227 | $47,260 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBusiness | bachelors | $43,426 | $42,073 |
| MarketingBusiness | bachelors | $43,000 | $41,007 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement | bachelors | $38,559 | $41,725 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $37,856 | $38,721 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesLiberal Arts | bachelors | $34,704 | $34,704 |
| Health and Physical Education/FitnessParks, Recreation & Fitness | bachelors | $34,526 | $34,187 |
| Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences | bachelors | $32,925 | $30,228 |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Evangelical Lutheran Churchsource
- Founded in 1896source
- Athletic nickname: "Vikings"source
- School colors: #D21B36 and #FFFFFFsource
- Mascot: Viktor the Vikingsource
- Formerly known as "Grand View College and Seminary" (1896–1924)source
- Formerly known as "Grand View Junior College" (1924–1975)source
- Formerly known as "Grand View College" (1975–2008)source
- Athletic conference: NAIAsource
Athletics — 14 sports
NAIA Division I · NAIA
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $6,648,170 (M $4,633,302 · W $1,856,240 · Coed $158,628)
- Archery
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Football
- Golf
- Other Sports
- Rifle
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Grand View University’s 1,472 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In IA
- University of DubuqueDubuque, IA · 1,473 undergrads
- Luther CollegeDecorah, IA · 1,454 undergrads
- Wartburg CollegeWaverly, IA · 1,446 undergrads
- Dordt UniversitySioux Center, IA · 1,547 undergrads
- William Penn UniversityOskaloosa, IA · 1,391 undergrads
- Buena Vista UniversityStorm Lake, IA · 1,378 undergrads
Elsewhere
- Berea CollegeBerea, KY · 1,472 undergrads
- Centralia CollegeCentralia, WA · 1,476 undergrads
- Northwestern Oklahoma State UniversityAlva, OK · 1,468 undergrads
- Saint Johns UniversityCollegeville, MN · 1,468 undergrads
- Sarah Lawrence CollegeBronxville, NY · 1,468 undergrads
- University of EvansvilleEvansville, IN · 1,477 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitegrandview.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 153375)
- Compare colleges in IARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in IowaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with University of DubuqueSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Grand View University vs University of DubuqueHigher-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.