Saginaw Valley State University
University Center, MI · Public · Midsize suburb · SVSU
Public institution in University Center, MI · 6,004 undergraduates · 73% acceptance rate · $51,955 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 20%Undergraduates
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
- $14,582645th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $12,240769th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $28,7521,197th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $24,043628th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $25,0001,238th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $51,955962nd highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $43,530980th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 53.8%1,002nd highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 75.4%946th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 72.9%687th most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1051820th highest of 1,022 reporting
- Median ACT
- 22604th highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 6,004421st largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,301st smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 32.4%1,070th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 95 mi (DTW)
On 3 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 56 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,570 | $73,378 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,214 | $78,343 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology | bachelors | $70,456 | — |
| Computer Systems AnalysisComputer Science | bachelors | $65,238 | $64,990 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $61,004 | $61,688 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $58,402 | $59,169 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | $55,383 | $49,631 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $49,855 | $44,468 |
| ChemistryPhysical Sciences | bachelors | $49,214 | $40,641 |
| Applied MathematicsMathematics & Statistics | bachelors | $44,971 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $43,054 | $40,253 |
| MarketingBusiness | bachelors | $42,433 | $42,682 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1963source
- Athletic nickname: "Cardinals"source
- Competes in NCAA Division IIsource
- Motto: "It's a Great Day to be a Cardinal!"source
- Formerly known as "Saginaw Valley College" (1963–1974)source
- Formerly known as "Saginaw Valley State College" (1974–1987)source
- Football rivalry: Battle of the Valleys (since 1975)source
- Fight song: ""Cardinal Fight""source
Athletics — 11 sports
NCAA Division II with football · NCAA Division II
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $3,577,643 (M $2,207,085 · W $1,370,558)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Saginaw Valley State University’s 6,004 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In MI
- University of Michigan-DearbornDearborn, MI · 5,882 undergrads
- Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI · 5,829 undergrads
- Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MI · 6,425 undergrads
- Schoolcraft Community College DistrictLivonia, MI · 6,626 undergrads
- University of Michigan-FlintFlint, MI · 4,157 undergrads
- Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids, MI · 8,087 undergrads
Elsewhere
- University of St ThomasSaint Paul, MN · 6,014 undergrads
- Arkansas Tech UniversityRussellville, AR · 5,993 undergrads
- Maryville University of Saint LouisSaint Louis, MO · 5,988 undergrads
- State University of New York at New PaltzNew Paltz, NY · 6,022 undergrads
- Ensign CollegeSalt Lake City, UT · 5,969 undergrads
- Polk State CollegeWinter Haven, FL · 5,954 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitesvsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 172051)
- 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 University of Michigan-DearbornSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Saginaw Valley State University vs University of Michigan-DearbornHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 11 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.