Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) vs Northern Michigan University (NMU)

Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) and Northern Michigan University (NMU) are two public universities in Michigan with distinct characteristics. SVSU, located in University Center, boasts a higher acceptance rate (86%) compared to NMU's 79%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with SVSU excelling in fields like Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, while NMU is known for its strengths in Engineering, Engineering Technology, and Related Engineering Fields. NMU's student body is slightly larger, with a total enrollment of 8,485 compared to SVSU's 7,850. In terms of graduation rates, SVSU has a slightly higher four-year graduation rate (33%) than NMU's 29%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table below, highlighting key differences between these two universities. Explore the table to find the institution that
Northern Michigan University logo

Northern Michigan University

Saginaw Valley State University logo

Saginaw Valley State University

Overview

Location Marquette, Michigan University Center, Michigan
Campus setting Town: Remote Suburb: Midsize
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 72.0% 73.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 71.3% 77.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 960 - 1170
ACT range N/A 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 80.0%
Students submitting ACT score 6.0%
Total number of applicants 6,553 5,899
Total number of admissions given out 4,670 4,590
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,496 1,336
Yield rate 32.0% 29.1%
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: $26,076

Out of state: $31,572
In state: $26,036

Out of state: $41,050
Average net price $17,686 $15,476
Tuition
In state: $12,098

Out of state: $17,594
In state: $11,130

Out of state: $26,144
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,212

Meal plan: $5,700
Room/dormitory: $4,608

Meal plan: $4,150
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $8,291
98.0%
Average amount $7,607
Students receiving federal student loan 60.0%
Average amount $4,882
54.0%
Average amount $5,138
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,023
6.0%
Average amount $9,204

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,611
Men 41.4% Women 58.6%
6,789
Men 35.6% Women 64.4%
Graduate students 603
Men 31.8% Women 68.2%
734
Men 21.1% Women 78.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 27.5% N/A
International students 1.2% 3.2%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 2,956 2,233
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Michigan Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota California N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Business
  • Engineering
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 49.4% 42.5%
Dropout rate 48.5% 53.3%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,628
  • Year 2: $72,796
  • Year 3: $79,136
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $46,384
  • Year 2: $47,846
  • Year 3: $59,593
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $58,726
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,371
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $57,709
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,668
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $55,574
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,975
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $51,392
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,045
  • Year 2: $34,793
  • Year 3: $47,951
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,424
  • Year 2: $44,635
  • Year 3: $46,290
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,823
  • Year 2: $38,649
  • Year 3: $45,786
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,293
  • Year 2: $38,529
  • Year 3: $44,324
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,762
  • Year 2: $73,378
  • Year 3: $76,097
Computer Systems Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,415
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $71,386
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $59,169
  • Year 3: $70,201
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,282
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $66,489
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,511
  • Year 2: $61,688
  • Year 3: $63,045
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,063
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $62,740
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $60,104
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $40,641
  • Year 3: $55,381
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,943
  • Year 2: $44,468
  • Year 3: $53,829
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,863
  • Year 2: $48,682
  • Year 3: $53,438

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