GVSU vs. Penn State Beaver

Should I go to Grand Valley State University or Penn State Beaver? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if GVSU or Penn State Beaver 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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Grand Valley State University vs. Penn State Beaver comparison
Grand Valley State University Penn State Beaver College 3 College 4
Grand Valley State University
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Overview

GVSU Penn State Beaver
Location Allendale, MI Monaca, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 21,648 522
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #583
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gvsu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

GVSU Penn State Beaver
Tuition (In State) $13,952 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $19,856 $23,086
Room & Board $10,140 $12,254
Avg Net Price $17,105 $18,113
Avg Grant Aid $8,811 $9,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 87%

Admission

GVSU Penn State Beaver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,123 1,707
Admitted 15,474 1,591
Acceptance Rate 90.4% 93.2%
Enrolled % 25% 10.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/28
SAT Range 960/1210 1050/1260
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

Academics

GVSU Penn State Beaver
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (54%)
  • Psychology (24%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)

Outcomes

GVSU Penn State Beaver
Graduation Rate 63% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

GVSU Penn State Beaver
% Men 38% 55%
% Women 62% 45%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 75%
% Black 5% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

GVSU Penn State Beaver
% In-State 91% 63%
% Out-of-State 8% 34%

Campus

GVSU Penn State Beaver
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 Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (21,648 students vs. 522 students)

GVSU vs. Penn State Beaver Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GVSU or Penn State Beaver?

  • Grand Valley State University is 0.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Beaver for in-state tuition ($13,952.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.3% higher at Penn State Beaver than Grand Valley State University ($23,086.00 vs. $19,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than Penn State Beaver ($17,105 vs. $18,113)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grand Valley State University are 20.8% lower than costs at Penn State Beaver ($10,140 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grand Valley State University than Penn State Beaver (93% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Beaver students is 5.3% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($9,274 vs. $8,811)

GVSU vs. Penn State Beaver Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 91 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (999)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Beaver (21)
  • Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than GVSU (90.4%)

GVSU vs. Penn State Beaver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GVSU or Penn State Beaver? 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 Penn State Beaver and GVSU.

  • The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than Penn State Beaver (63% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Beaver earn on average $10,700 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,600)
  • Grand Valley State University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • GVSU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Beaver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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