GVSU vs. St. Cloud State University

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

GVSU St. Cloud State University
Location Allendale, MI Saint Cloud, MN
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,269 10,514
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #559 #622
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gvsu.edu stcloudstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

GVSU St. Cloud State University
Tuition (In State) $14,628 $8,811
Tuition (Out of State) $20,820 $8,811
Room & Board $11,142 $9,630
Avg Net Price $17,995 $14,648
Avg Grant Aid $8,925 $7,348
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 74%

Admission

GVSU St. Cloud State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,297 5,026
Admitted 23,008 4,772
Acceptance Rate 94.7% 94.9%
Enrolled % 21% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 18/25
SAT Range 940/1190 970/1280
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, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

GVSU St. Cloud State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

GVSU St. Cloud State University
Graduation Rate 63% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $232

Diversity

GVSU St. Cloud State University
% Men 4% 8%
% Women 10% 12%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 73%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

GVSU St. Cloud State University
% In-State 91% 75%
% Out-of-State 8% 11%

Campus

GVSU St. Cloud State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Grand Valley State University is larger than than St. Cloud State University based on total student enrollment (22,269 students vs. 10,514 students)

GVSU vs. St. Cloud State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GVSU or St. Cloud State University?

  • Grand Valley State University is 66% more expensive to attend than St. Cloud State University for in-state tuition ($14,628.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at GVSU than Saint Cloud State University ($20,820.00 vs. $8,811.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Cloud State University than GVSU ($14,648 vs. $17,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Cloud State University are 15.7% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($9,630 vs. $11,142)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grand Valley State University than Saint Cloud State University (86% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grand Valley State University students is 21.5% larger than aid received Saint Cloud State University ($8,925 vs. $7,348)

GVSU vs. St. Cloud State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 60 points higher than at St. Cloud State University (1030)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at St. Cloud State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at St. Cloud State University (3.4)
  • St. Cloud State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than GVSU (94.7%)

GVSU vs. St. Cloud State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GVSU or St. Cloud State University? 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 St. Cloud State University and GVSU.

  • The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than Saint Cloud State University (63% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Saint Cloud State University earn on average $2,100 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $44,600)
  • Saint Cloud State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than GVSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • St. Cloud State University graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than GVSU graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More St. Cloud State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 62%)

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