Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan · Public · 4-year · Town

At a glance

Average net price: $16,317What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate: 83%
Graduation rate: 68%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates: 18,854
In-state tuition: $15,140Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition: $21,548
SAT midpoint: Not reported
Median earnings, 10 yrs: $56,118Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$16,317

2/5

Better than 35% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).

Completion

68%

5/5

Better than 80% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).

Earnings

$56,118

3/5

Better than 55% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).

Debt at graduation

$24,500

1/5

Better than 17% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).

What these ratings are based on

Affordability: Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion: Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings: Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation: Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity: A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$28,367

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$16,317

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Grand Valley State University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time	68%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return	76%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed	$24,500
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled	$56,118

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Grand Valley State University by graduate earnings
Major	Earnings, 1 yr	Degrees awarded
Computer Engineering	$80,746	23
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	$80,732	19
Manufacturing Engineering	$76,754	18
Mechanical Engineering	$75,777	57
Computer and Information Sciences, General	$74,360	114
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	$71,181	239
Information Science/Studies	$66,967	23
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	$63,038	18
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	$58,781	22
International Business	$58,746	16
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$57,760	113
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	$57,161	43
Economics	$53,985	15
Business/Managerial Economics	$53,536	54
Finance and Financial Management Services	$52,872	239
Accounting and Related Services	$51,186	123
Human Resources Management and Services	$50,259	49
Special Education and Teaching	$49,494	55
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods	$46,886	120
Chemistry	$46,496	11
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$46,124	112
Marketing	$46,022	269
Mathematics	$45,349	63
Business/Commerce, General	$45,285	78
Biological and Physical Sciences	$44,525	18
Education, General	$44,071	224
Statistics	$43,668	39
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	$43,631	33
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	$43,391	15
Social Sciences, General	$43,217	45
Biology, General	$40,959	282
Legal Support Services	$40,778	41
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other	$40,415	Not reported
Health and Medical Administrative Services	$40,032	26
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$39,857	121
English Language and Literature, General	$39,334	82
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	$38,675	14
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	$38,172	140
Social Work	$37,233	121
Public Administration	$36,236	26
Geography and Cartography	$35,838	14
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$35,767	80
Hospitality Administration/Management	$35,406	63
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs	$35,374	2
Political Science and Government	$35,358	50
Music	$34,882	38
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other	$34,203	183
Communication and Media Studies	$32,755	73
Neurobiology and Neurosciences	$32,644	68
Sociology	$32,132	22
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	$32,118	91
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	$31,569	29
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	$31,016	37
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	$30,141	30
Psychology, General	$30,100	276
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$29,913	235
International Relations and National Security Studies	$28,202	21
Anthropology	$27,350	19
History	$27,341	27
Film/Video and Photographic Arts	$25,256	68
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication	$24,894	30
Fine and Studio Arts	$24,135	59
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	Not reported	79
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Not reported	20
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	Not reported	19
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Not reported	11
Philosophy	Not reported	10
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management	Not reported	8
International/Globalization Studies	Not reported	8
Dance	Not reported	8
Zoology/Animal Biology	Not reported	6
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	Not reported	6
Physics	Not reported	6
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	6
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	Not reported	3
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	Not reported	2
Engineering, General	Not reported	2
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	2
Religion/Religious Studies	Not reported	1
Area Studies	Not reported	Not reported
Research and Experimental Psychology	Not reported	Not reported
Biopsychology	Not reported	Not reported
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management	Not reported	Not reported

All 83 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

Similar colleges

Wayne State University
Detroit, MI
Also a public four-year college in MI, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these two
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI
Also a public four-year college in MI, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these two
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, MI
Also a public four-year college in MI, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these two
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI
Also a public four-year college in MI, with a similar undergraduate enrollment.
Compare these two