University of St Francis vs. GVSU

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

University of St Francis GVSU
Location Joliet, IL Allendale, MI
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,297 21,648
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #339 #583
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stfrancis.edu gvsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of St Francis GVSU
Tuition (In State) $36,000 $13,952
Tuition (Out of State) $36,000 $19,856
Room & Board $11,430 $10,140
Avg Net Price $18,560 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $25,392 $8,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

University of St Francis GVSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,198 17,123
Admitted 1,284 15,474
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 90.4%
Enrolled % 16.8% 25%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/30 21/27
SAT Range 1030/1240 960/1210
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 Aug 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

University of St Francis GVSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (41%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

University of St Francis GVSU
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,600 $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

University of St Francis GVSU
% Men 26% 38%
% Women 74% 62%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 83%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 16% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

University of St Francis GVSU
% In-State 93% 91%
% Out-of-State 4% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Grand Valley State University is larger than than University of St Francis based on total student enrollment (21,648 students vs. 3,297 students)

University of St Francis vs. GVSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of St Francis or GVSU?

  • University of St Francis is 158% more expensive to attend than GVSU for in-state tuition ($36,000.00 vs. $13,952.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.3% higher at University of St Francis than Grand Valley State University ($36,000.00 vs. $19,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than University of St Francis ($17,105 vs. $18,560)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grand Valley State University are 12.7% lower than costs at University of St Francis ($10,140 vs. $11,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of St Francis than Grand Valley State University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of St Francis students is 188.2% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($25,392 vs. $8,811)

University of St Francis vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 21 points higher than at University of St Francis (1069)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at University of St Francis (23)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at University of St Francis (3.47)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than University of St Francis (58.4%)

University of St Francis vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of St Francis or GVSU? 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 GVSU and University of St Francis.

  • The graduation rate at University of St Francis is the same as at Grand Valley State University (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of St Francis earn on average $6,000 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $44,600)
  • Grand Valley State University and University of St Francis graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($25,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Grand Valley State University and University of St Francis graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More GVSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of St Francis students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 62%)

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