Grand Valley State vs Purdue University Northwest (PNWU)

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Purdue University Northwest (PNW) are two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. GVSU, located in Allendale, Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to PNW's 78%, making it a more accessible option for prospective students. In terms of student body demographics, GVSU has a larger undergraduate population (15,000+) than PNW (7,000+), and its student body is more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students. PNW, on the other hand, has a higher graduation rate (60%) compared to GVSU's 56%, indicating a stronger focus on student success and retention. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more, including popular majors, tuition costs, and campus life.
Grand Valley State University logo

Grand Valley State University

Purdue University Northwest logo

Purdue University Northwest

Overview

Location Allendale, Michigan Hammond, Indiana
Campus setting Suburb: Large 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 83.0% 60.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.7% 76.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A 990 - 1190
ACT range N/A 19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 38.0%
Students submitting ACT score 8.0%
Total number of applicants 17,163 3,642
Total number of admissions given out 15,730 2,781
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,807 1,067
Yield rate 24.2% 38.4%
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: $23,604

Out of state: $29,340
In state: $22,356

Out of state: $29,247
Average net price $16,947 $8,472
Tuition
In state: $13,560

Out of state: $19,296
In state: $7,268

Out of state: $14,159
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,380

Meal plan: $3,500
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

80.0%
Average amount $8,376
61.0%
Average amount $7,048
Students receiving federal student loan 50.0%
Average amount $5,161
34.0%
Average amount $4,744
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $13,024
2.0%
Average amount $8,768

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 19,379
Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
8,044
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
Graduate students 3,027
Men 28.0% Women 72.0%
750
Men 34.5% Women 65.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 10.6% 8.9%
International students 1.8% 3.0%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 6,012 744
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Michigan Illinois Indiana Ohio Texas Indiana Illinois Michigan Ohio Alabama

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 67.1% 40.3%
Dropout rate 15.6% 54.6%
Transferred out 15.4% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,613
  • Year 2: $86,867
  • Year 3: $95,054
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,723
  • Year 2: $72,796
  • Year 3: $83,022
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $74,625
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,537
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $73,252
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,599
  • Year 2: $65,123
  • Year 3: $66,736
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,724
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $65,341
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,367
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $51,672
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,277
  • Year 2: $39,214
  • Year 3: $49,646
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,212
  • Year 2: $33,565
  • Year 3: $44,921
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,032
  • Year 2: $30,554
  • Year 3: $41,841

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