Blackburn College vs. GVSU

Should I go to Blackburn College or Grand Valley State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or GVSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Blackburn College vs. Grand Valley State University comparison
Blackburn College Grand Valley State University College 3 College 4
Blackburn College Grand Valley State University
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Overview

Blackburn College GVSU
Location Carlinville, IL Allendale, MI
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 389 22,269
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #559
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu gvsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College GVSU
Tuition (In State) $26,758 $14,628
Tuition (Out of State) $26,758 $20,820
Room & Board $9,120 $11,142
Avg Net Price $21,349 $17,995
Avg Grant Aid $15,613 $8,925
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

Blackburn College GVSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,113 24,297
Admitted 892 23,008
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 94.7%
Enrolled % 9.6% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.65
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/24 21/28
SAT Range 888/1125 940/1190
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

Blackburn College GVSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College GVSU
Graduation Rate 48% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

Blackburn College GVSU
% Men 2% 4%
% Women 10% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 83%
% Black 13% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Blackburn College GVSU
% In-State 73% 91%
% Out-of-State 23% 8%

Campus

Blackburn College GVSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Grand Valley State University is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (22,269 students vs. 389 students)

Blackburn College vs. GVSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or GVSU?

  • Blackburn College is 82.9% more expensive to attend than GVSU for in-state tuition ($26,758.00 vs. $14,628.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.5% higher at Blackburn College than Grand Valley State University ($26,758.00 vs. $20,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than Blackburn College ($17,995 vs. $21,349)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 22.2% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($9,120 vs. $11,142)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College than Grand Valley State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 74.9% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($15,613 vs. $8,925)

Blackburn College vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or GVSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between GVSU or Blackburn College .

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 85 points higher than at Blackburn College (1005)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Blackburn College (22)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than Blackburn College (80.1%)

Blackburn College vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or GVSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between GVSU and Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than Blackburn College (63% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Grand Valley State University earn on average $4,200 more per year than Blackburn College graduates after ten years. ($44,600 vs. $40,400)
  • Grand Valley State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • GVSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More GVSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 58%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/