App State vs Grand Valley State

Appalachian State University and Grand Valley State University, both highly regarded institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Appalachian State, nestled in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, boasts a vibrant campus culture and a strong focus on undergraduate education. Grand Valley State, located in the heart of Michigan's lakeshore region, is known for its innovative academic programs and commitment to community engagement. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to diverse student populations and aspirations. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
Appalachian State University logo

Appalachian State University

Grand Valley State University logo

Grand Valley State University

Overview

Location Boone, North Carolina Allendale, Michigan
Campus setting Town: Distant Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 86.0% 83.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 84.7% 91.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range 1130 - 1300 N/A
ACT range 24 - 29 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 9.0%
Students submitting ACT score 23.0%
Total number of applicants 21,120 17,163
Total number of admissions given out 17,886 15,730
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,099 3,807
Yield rate 22.9% 24.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $22,220

Out of state: $37,827
In state: $23,604

Out of state: $29,340
Average net price $12,735 $16,947
Tuition
In state: $4,242

Out of state: $19,849
In state: $13,560

Out of state: $19,296
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,595

Meal plan: $4,086
Room/dormitory: $6,380

Meal plan: $3,500
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

54.0%
Average amount $7,652
80.0%
Average amount $8,376
Students receiving federal student loan 45.0%
Average amount $5,054
50.0%
Average amount $5,161
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $12,285
6.0%
Average amount $13,024

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 18,555
Men 43.3% Women 56.7%
19,379
Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
Graduate students 2,086
Men 29.6% Women 70.4%
3,027
Men 28.0% Women 72.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 10.5% 10.6%
International students 0.5% 1.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 5,971 6,012
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from North Carolina South Carolina Virginia Georgia Florida Michigan Illinois Indiana Ohio Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.7% 67.1%
Dropout rate 7.6% 15.6%
Transferred out 18.3% 15.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,824
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $79,392
Educational Administration and Supervision (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: $70,638
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,462
  • Year 2: $54,382
  • Year 3: $67,337
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,036
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $65,634
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,587
  • Year 2: $49,084
  • Year 3: $63,376
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,322
  • Year 2: $55,693
  • Year 3: $60,614
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,088
  • Year 2: $44,989
  • Year 3: $59,659
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,199
  • Year 2: $54,296
  • Year 3: $59,624
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,623
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $58,316
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,799
  • Year 2: $54,635
  • Year 3: $57,400
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $103,525
  • Year 2: $105,839
  • Year 3: $111,967
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,846
  • Year 2: $96,539
  • Year 3: $93,695
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,623
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $83,454
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,965
  • Year 2: $68,666
  • Year 3: $73,434
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,881
  • Year 2: $62,691
  • Year 3: $72,792
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,211
  • Year 2: $65,969
  • Year 3: $72,474
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,095
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $71,736
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,039
  • Year 2: $58,479
  • Year 3: $69,240
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,382
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $68,410
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,161
  • Year 2: $67,939
  • Year 3: $68,289

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