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Allendale, MI · Public · 18,854 undergraduates · town

Grand Valley State University

Less selective

Grand Valley splits undergraduate life between a traditional Allendale campus and professional programs closely connected to Grand Rapids employers.

Gpwitteveen / CC BY-SA 3.0

Institutional profile

Established Solid in mobility, and solid in affordability.
Academic Emerging Affordability Solid Career Solid Mobility Solid Experience Emerging
Academic standing Emerging
Affordability Solid
Career outcomes Solid
Mobility Solid
Student experience Emerging
Admission
94.7% admitted

24,297 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
66.2%

$56,118 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets Grand Valley State University apart

Academic design

Broad undergraduate strengths include business, health professions, education, engineering, sciences, and liberal arts.

Campus pattern

Most undergraduates begin in Allendale, while Grand Rapids hosts substantial health, business, engineering, and graduate facilities.

Career & value signal

Grand Rapids offers strong healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, finance, and nonprofit employment networks.

Can I get in?

94.7% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

24,297

About 95 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 94.7%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%940–1190
7801340
ACT middle 50%21–28
1633

Of admitted students, 59% submitted an SAT, and 5% submitted an ACT. Because ACT scores came from few admitted students, the range describes that self-selected group rather than the full class.

Academic benchmarkLess selective

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for Grand Valley State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What Grand Valley State University weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Broad undergraduate strengths include business, health professions, education, engineering, sciences, and liberal arts.

02

Make institutional fit specific

Grand Valley splits undergraduate life between a traditional Allendale campus and professional programs closely connected to Grand Rapids employers.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Regular Decisionrolling
Fee and waiverNo application fee

Check eligibility for a fee waiver

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Computer scienceAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

EngineeringAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$33,336
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$16,000
Affordability profileSolid

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

Grand Valley State University publishes four merit awards, the largest reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year. All of them renew past the first year.

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Renews each year

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Renews each year

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Renews each year

Reviewed with admission An award under $5,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Renews each year

In the season card

These four awards, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at Grand Valley State University

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years66.2%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one76.5%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$56,118

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Biology, General

Recent graduates282
Median earnings$52,176

Psychology, General

Recent graduates276
Median earnings$51,460

Marketing

Recent graduates269
Median earnings$69,592

Admits separately

What is campus life like?

Grand Valley State University beyond the classroom

Most undergraduates begin in Allendale, while Grand Rapids hosts substantial health, business, engineering, and graduate facilities.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Broad undergraduate strengths include business, health professions, education, engineering, sciences, and liberal arts.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

Most undergraduates begin in Allendale, while Grand Rapids hosts substantial health, business, engineering, and graduate facilities.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

Grand Rapids offers strong healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, finance, and nonprofit employment networks.

18,854 undergraduatesMidwesttown settingCampus housing available