GVSU vs. Washington State

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

 GVSU Washington State
Location Allendale, MI Pullman, WA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 21,648 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #583 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gvsu.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GVSU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $13,952 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $19,856 $26,392
Room & Board $10,140 $12,396
Avg Net Price $17,105 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $8,811 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 83%

Admission

 GVSU Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,123 19,401
Admitted 15,474 16,123
Acceptance Rate 90.4% 83.1%
Enrolled % 25% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/26
SAT Range 960/1210 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

 GVSU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 GVSU Washington State
Graduation Rate 63% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $258 $211

Diversity

 GVSU Washington State
% Men 38% 46%
% Women 62% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 63%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 GVSU Washington State
% In-State 91% 83%
% Out-of-State 8% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Washington State University is larger than than GVSU based on total student enrollment (27,539 students vs. 21,648 students)

GVSU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GVSU or Washington State?

  • Grand Valley State University is 30.3% more expensive to attend than Washington State for in-state tuition ($13,952.00 vs. $10,708.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.9% higher at Washington State than Grand Valley State University ($26,392.00 vs. $19,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than Washington State ($17,105 vs. $17,911)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grand Valley State University are 22.2% lower than costs at Washington State University ($10,140 vs. $12,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grand Valley State University than Washington State University (93% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 21.3% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($10,689 vs. $8,811)

GVSU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 51 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Washington State (3.5)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than Washington State (83.1%)

GVSU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GVSU or Washington State? 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 Washington State and GVSU.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Grand Valley State University (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $9,800 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $44,600)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $4,571 lower median federal student loan debt than GVSU graduates. ($20,429 vs. $25,000)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than GVSU graduates. ($211 vs. $258)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 62%)

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