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Grand Valley State University

Public 4-year · Allendale, Michigan · 18,854 undergradsTest-optional

Admission8 in 10 get in83% admitted, fall 2024
Average cost after grants$16,495a year, in-state · sticker $28,770
Graduation rate
65%
finish within 6 years
Earnings 10 years in$60,120median per year · debt $22,500
Report card how grades work
B+Overall value
B+Cost
B+Price for low incomes
B+Graduation
BEarnings

Grand Valley State University is a public 4-year college in Allendale, Michigan with 18,854 undergraduates. It admits 83% of applicants, costs an average of $16,495 a year after grants and graduates 65% of its students.

Figures from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, released October 15, 2026. What each number covers.

Grand Valley State University acceptance rate and admissions

Grand Valley State University admitted 83% of applicants for fall 2024. The median acceptance rate at 4-year colleges is 77%.

Test scores: Considered but not required (as reported for fall 2024 admission). That means you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Check the admissions office for the current policy.

SAT total
940 to 1190
4001600
ACT composite
22 to 30
136

The colored band is the middle 50% of enrolled students in fall 2024 (reading and writing 480 to 600, math 460 to 590). The tick marks the typical 4-year college. Check how your scores fit.

Grand Valley State University application deadlines 2026-27

RoundDeadline
Rolling admissionApplications reviewed as they arrive

Application fee through the Common App: free for U.S. applicants. Confirm dates on Grand Valley State University’s admissions page; see every college on the deadline calendar.

Source: Common App 2026-27 first-year deadlines, fees and requirements grid, updated Sep 25, 2026.

Grand Valley State University tuition, cost and net price

Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26)$15,872
Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26)$22,588
On-campus housing and food (2025-26)$10,788
Total cost of attendance (2024-25)$28,770
Average net price after grants (2024-25)$16,495

Students who get federal aid pay an average of $16,495 a year after grants and scholarships, $12,275 less than the full cost of attendance. This figure covers in-state students.

What families pay, by income

Average yearly cost after grants for aided first-time students paying in-state tuition, by family income (2024-25):

$0 to $30,000$12,444
$30,001 to $48,000$12,223
$48,001 to $75,000$12,816
$75,001 to $110,000$16,724
Over $110,000$23,196

Your own price depends on your family's full situation. Run Grand Valley State University's net price calculator for a personal estimate, or make a "what it costs us" card.

Grand Valley State University graduation rate, earnings and debt

65%
finished within 6 years
76%
came back for year two
36%
get a Pell Grant
  • 65% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years (students who started in 2019).
  • Former students earned a median of $60,120 a year, 10 years after they started (students who received federal aid and were working).
  • Students who completed left with a median of $22,500 in federal student loans.

Earnings compared

Grand Valley State University$60,120
Michigan median, public 4-year$59,879
U.S. median, public 4-year$59,509

Debt compared

Grand Valley State University$22,500
Michigan median$20,500
U.S. median$19,500

Median debt is 37% of median earnings 10 years after entry. Many advisers suggest keeping total student debt below one year of expected pay. See the monthly payment.

Grand Valley State University majors and what graduates earn

Grand Valley State University awarded bachelor's degrees in 80 fields recently. The best-paid graduates four years out came from computer engineering ($103,253).

Computer engineering$103,253
Electrical engineering$100,456
Manufacturing Engineering$95,416
Computer and information sciences$94,330
Mechanical engineering$90,565
Information science$81,420
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians$80,398
International business$80,324
All 80 majors at Grand Valley State University
MajorGraduates (2023-24)Earnings 1 yr afterEarnings 4 yrs afterMedian debt
Computer engineering15$79,660$103,253$30,250
Electrical engineering30$89,028$100,456$22,250
Manufacturing Engineering9$77,793$95,416n/a
Computer and information sciences116$75,450$94,330$24,248
Mechanical engineering59$78,337$90,565$27,000
Information science22$70,328$81,420$25,500
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians16$72,846$80,398$26,000
International business13$60,548$80,324n/a
Accounting138$55,302$80,153$20,750
Business administration119$62,887$79,324$20,500
Nursing249$77,487$79,188$23,250
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations13$55,025$77,581n/a
Human resources46$58,699$75,800$17,750
Statistics26$53,430$74,229$21,500
Business/Managerial Economics51$52,656$73,241$19,500
Finance208$54,928$71,348$20,500
Allied health (PA, radiography, therapy and more)53$68,961$70,655$24,500
Chemistry11n/a$70,611n/a
Business analytics and operations research150$55,309$69,603$20,000
Marketing307$55,209$69,592$20,500
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences20n/a$63,043$20,500
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs5n/a$62,501n/a
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other169$40,706$62,482$21,500
Geology and earth sciences13$48,485$61,868n/a
Geography8$48,926$61,831n/a
Business80$52,236$61,553$22,522
Biochemistry and molecular biology21$49,097$59,476$21,499
International relations18$39,684$58,802$21,499
Hospitality management40$45,932$58,413$20,500
Neuroscience67$36,138$57,842$25,000
Paralegal studies36$44,377$57,728$21,000
Public relations and advertising111$47,798$57,599$21,562
Criminal justice110$44,502$57,537$21,875
Romance languages13$35,142$53,715$23,141
Kinesiology and exercise science235$38,172$53,175$22,500
Social Sciences, General30$45,150$52,520$23,965
Biology218$35,637$52,176$22,792
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies5n/a$51,872n/a
Mathematics60$48,209$51,753$23,286
Liberal arts and general studies92$47,197$51,497$22,970
Psychology314$37,251$51,460$21,500
Health administration17$44,726$51,027$26,498
Social work89$41,065$50,690$20,500
Physical and occupational therapy37$42,912$50,291$21,500
Special education74n/a$49,814$28,098
Public administration23$48,070$49,776$27,000
Teacher education by subject120$43,090$49,612$28,144
Education238$45,764$49,225$24,685
Environmental science89$38,864$49,113$23,000
Music28$43,397$49,111$24,750
Political science62$36,140$48,896$22,139
Sociology19$41,378$48,664$21,500
History39$37,614$47,218$22,625
Communication71$42,561$46,938$20,989
English77$42,194$45,237$25,500
Biological and physical sciences10$41,809$45,090$19,500
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies33$40,239$43,552$24,450
Radio, TV and digital media20$39,078$43,011$16,250
Anthropology13$30,897$42,796$21,875
Fine and studio arts65$32,226$39,307$26,697
Film and photography66$27,609$39,082$21,500
Speech-language pathology55n/an/a$24,250
Zoology/Animal Biology27n/an/a$23,352
IT and network administration20n/an/an/a
Medical lab science18n/an/an/a
Nutrition and dietetics16n/an/an/a
Dance12n/an/an/a
Economics10$46,806n/an/a
Biomedical engineering8n/an/an/a
Philosophy8n/an/an/a
International/Globalization Studies7$28,685n/an/a
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology4n/an/an/a
Physics4n/an/an/a
Journalism3n/an/an/a
Engineering, general3n/an/an/a
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics3n/an/an/a
Theater3n/an/an/a
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management2n/an/an/a
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics1n/an/an/a
Religious studies0n/an/an/a

Four-year earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Fields with few graduates have no published earnings.

Graduate programs at Grand Valley State University

35 graduate programs awarded degrees recently. Largest first.

Show 35 graduate programs
ProgramDegreeGraduates (2023-24)Earnings 1 yr afterMedian debt
Social workMaster's128$55,701$44,287
Computer and information sciencesMaster's89$93,683n/a
Physical and occupational therapyMaster's73$70,667$66,430
Allied health (PA, radiography, therapy and more)Master's72$111,349$79,215
BusinessMaster's63$99,194$21,354
Physical and occupational therapyProfessional doctorate62$77,128$112,454
Education leadershipMaster's53$58,518$28,751
AccountingMaster's53$71,991$26,595
Curriculum and InstructionMaster's49$56,581$24,500
Speech-language pathologyMaster's45$55,794$61,277
Public healthMaster's41$57,411$41,810
Data scienceMaster's40n/an/a
School counseling and student servicesMaster's39$59,377$30,816
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational BiologyMaster's28$73,625n/a
Health administrationMaster's27$70,701$45,594
Public administrationMaster's26$59,783$32,466
EducationMaster's24$59,119n/a
Special educationMaster's23$55,294$24,243
IT and network administrationMaster's21n/an/a
BiologyMaster's19n/an/a
Engineering, generalMaster's17n/an/a
Nutrition and dieteticsMaster's17$56,420$40,146
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical SciencesMaster's16n/an/a
CommunicationMaster's14$50,432n/a
NursingProfessional doctorate13$104,985$46,498
Speech-language pathologyProfessional doctorate10n/an/a
StatisticsMaster's9n/an/a
Clinical and counseling psychologyMaster's9$59,760n/a
Educational/Instructional Media DesignMaster's8n/an/a
Community Organization and AdvocacyMaster's8n/an/a
NursingMaster's8n/an/a
Criminal justiceMaster's7n/an/a
TaxationMaster's2n/an/a
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and PolicyMaster's1n/an/a
EnglishMaster's1n/an/a

Trade and career programs at Grand Valley State University

Certificate and associate programs in the trades we track. One-year earnings are for graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, four-year earnings for graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, both in 2024 dollars.

ProgramCredentialGraduates (2023-24)Earnings 1 yr afterEarnings 4 yrs afterMedian debt
ParalegalCertificate20n/an/a$21,500

Students and location

  • 18,854 degree-seeking undergraduates (fall 2024)
  • 60% women, 40% men
  • 15 students for every faculty member
  • Setting: town near a city
  • Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
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Grand Valley State University 4-year 2-year colleges in Michigan

Campus on OpenStreetMap · Get directions

Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at Grand Valley State University?

Grand Valley State University admitted 83% of applicants for fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

How much does Grand Valley State University cost?

Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $15,872 for in-state students and $22,588 for out-of-state students. After grants and scholarships, aided students paid an average net price of $16,495 a year in 2024-25.

What SAT score do you need for Grand Valley State University?

The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 480 to 600 in reading and writing and 460 to 590 in math, and 22 to 30 on the ACT. Scores inside these ranges are typical for admitted students.

Is Grand Valley State University test-optional?

For fall 2024 admission, Grand Valley State University reported that test scores were: considered but not required. Policies change, so confirm with the admissions office.

What is the graduation rate at Grand Valley State University?

65% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years.

How much do Grand Valley State University graduates make?

Former students who received federal aid earned a median of $60,120 a year 10 years after they started, in 2024 dollars.

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More: all colleges in Michigan · Grand Valley State University on the College Scorecard

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, data release of October 15, 2026. What each figure means and the year it covers.

See an outdated number?