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Michigan State Kent State WMU CMU Oakland Ferris State University Saginaw Valley State University WSU University of Toledo Michigan Cleveland State Ohio University| Grand Valley State University | Bowling Green State University Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
| Location | Allendale, MI | Bowling Green, OH | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 21,648 | 16,920 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #583 | #728 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | gvsu.edu | bgsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $13,952 | $11,272 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $19,856 | $19,845 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,140 | $12,584 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,105 | $20,485 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,811 | $8,898 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 95% |
Admission |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,123 | 17,447 | ||
| Admitted | 15,474 | 13,723 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.4% | 78.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 25% | 21.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.65 | 3.6 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 20/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 960/1210 | 990/1200 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | May 1, 2025 | Jul 15, 2025 |
Academics |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $44,600 | $43,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 62% | 53% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $268 |
Diversity |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 62% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 83% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 11% | ||
Campus |
GVSU | BGSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Grand Valley State University is larger than than BGSU based on total student enrollment (21,648 students vs. 16,920 students)
GVSU vs. BGSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, GVSU or BGSU?
- Grand Valley State University is 23.8% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($13,952.00 vs. $11,272.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at GVSU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($19,856.00 vs. $19,845.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than BGSU ($17,105 vs. $20,485)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grand Valley State University are 24.1% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,140 vs. $12,584)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than Grand Valley State University (95% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Bowling Green State University Main Campus students is 1% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($8,898 vs. $8,811)
GVSU vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, GVSU or BGSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BGSU or GVSU .
- The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 78 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
- Incoming GVSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BGSU (22)
- Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at BGSU (3.6)
- GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than BGSU (78.7%)
GVSU vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, GVSU or BGSU? 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 BGSU and GVSU.
- The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (63% vs. 58%)
- Graduates from Grand Valley State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($44,600 vs. $43,600)
- Grand Valley State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
- GVSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
- More GVSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/