GVSU vs. Ripon College

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

 GVSU Ripon College
Location Allendale, MI Ripon, WI
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 21,648 766
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #583
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gvsu.edu ripon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GVSU Ripon College
Tuition (In State) $13,952 $49,300
Tuition (Out of State) $19,856 $49,300
Room & Board $10,140 $9,490
Avg Net Price $17,105 $21,999
Avg Grant Aid $8,811 $38,826
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

 GVSU Ripon College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,123 2,142
Admitted 15,474 1,742
Acceptance Rate 90.4% 81.3%
Enrolled % 25% 11.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/27
SAT Range 960/1210 940/1160
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 Ripon College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • History (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

 GVSU Ripon College
Graduation Rate 63% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $289

Diversity

 GVSU Ripon College
% Men 38% 51%
% Women 62% 49%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 83%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 GVSU Ripon College
% In-State 91% 63%
% Out-of-State 8% 35%

Campus

 GVSU Ripon College
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 Ripon College based on total student enrollment (21,648 students vs. 766 students)

GVSU vs. Ripon College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GVSU or Ripon College?

  • Ripon College is 253.4% more expensive to attend than GVSU for in-state tuition ($49,300.00 vs. $13,952.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 148.3% higher at Ripon College than Grand Valley State University ($49,300.00 vs. $19,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than Ripon College ($17,105 vs. $21,999)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ripon College are 6.8% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($9,490 vs. $10,140)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ripon College than Grand Valley State University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ripon College students is 340.7% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($38,826 vs. $8,811)

GVSU vs. Ripon College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ripon College (1105) is 15 points higher than at GVSU (1090)
  • Incoming GVSU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Ripon College (24)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Ripon College (3.41)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than Ripon College (81.3%)

GVSU vs. Ripon College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GVSU or Ripon College? 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 Ripon College and GVSU.

  • The graduation rate at Ripon College is higher than Grand Valley State University (70% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Ripon College earn on average $4,600 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $44,600)
  • Grand Valley State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ripon College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,000)
  • GVSU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Ripon College graduates. ($258 vs. $289)
  • More Ripon College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 62%)

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