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Allendale, MI · Kalamazoo, MI
| Grand Valley State University | Western Michigan University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $16,317/yr | $15,273/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $12,272/yr | $5,263/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $24,500 | $26,188 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,902/yr | $5,734/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $12,861/yr | $13,833/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $16,609/yr | $18,307/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $22,534/yr | $23,625/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $260/mo | $278/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $11,550/yr | $12,174/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $9,090/yr | $12,174/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $800/yr | $1,128/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,558/yr | $2,697/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $28,367/yr | $29,237/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $15,140/yr | $15,252/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $21,548/yr | $19,034/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 29% | 27% |
| Students taking federal loans | 50% | 47% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 83% | 85% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 940–1190 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1074 | No data reported |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 22–30 | No data reported |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 20–31 · Math 20–28 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 24,297 | 20,100 |
| Students accepted | 23,008 | 17,020 |
| Students who enrolled | 4,836 | 2,472 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 21% | 15% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 59% | 58% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 5% | 6% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 67% | 58% |
| Freshmen who come back | 76% | 81% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $56,118/yr | $53,562/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $38,569–$78,636 | $34,853–$76,786 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 66% | 62% |
| White students graduating | 70% | 61% |
| Black students graduating | 48% | 42% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 58% | 48% |
| Asian students graduating | 58% | 64% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $47,840/yr | $45,356/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 75% | 77% |
| Graduate on time | 45% | 32% |
| Pell students who graduate | 57% | 47% |
| First-gen students who finish | 59% | 54% |
| Low-income students who finish | 52% | 50% |
| Students who transfer out | 14% | 27% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $51,712/yr | $48,394/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 22% · Health Professions 14% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 28% · Engineering 8% · Health Professions 7% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 22% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 28% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 14% of degrees | Engineering — 8% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees | Health Professions — 7% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Education — 6% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 5% of degrees | Education — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $113,240/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $102,089/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 18% | 16% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 18,854 | 12,568 |
| Students per professor | 15 : 1 | 16 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 3,009 | 3,717 |
| Average professor pay | $10,156/mo | $10,830/mo |
| Full-time professors | 66% | 63% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $63,788 | $51,034 |
| Setting | Town (fringe) | City (small) |
| Location | Allendale, MI | Kalamazoo, MI |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1960 | 1903 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral/Professional Universities | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1.3% | 4.1% |
| Men | 40% | 48% |
| Women | 60% | 52% |
| White students | 75% | 68% |
| Black students | 8% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 8.6% | 9.3% |
| Asian students | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.6% | 4.8% |
| Other / not reported | 1.1% | 2.7% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 27% | 29% |
| Part-time students | 9.1% | 13% |
| Students age 25+ | 7.1% | 9.4% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,704/yr | $13,167/yr |
| Endowment | $209.4M | $754.9M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 6,012 | 4,775 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,192/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $3,950/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division II with football | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 18 | 14 |
| Student athletes | 681 | 390 |
| Athletic scholarships | $5.7M | $8.4M |
| Athletics budget | $21.6M | $43.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $22.2M | $43.7M |
| Recruiting spend | $145,428 | $880,602 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.