UIU vs. GVSU

Should I go to Upper Iowa University or Grand Valley State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Upper Iowa University vs. Grand Valley State University comparison
Upper Iowa University Grand Valley State University College 3 College 4
Grand Valley State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UIU GVSU
Location Fayette, IA Allendale, MI
Setting Remote Rural Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,102 22,269
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #917 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiu.edu gvsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UIU GVSU
Tuition (In State) $18,000 $14,628
Tuition (Out of State) $18,000 $20,820
Room & Board $9,770 $11,142
Avg Net Price $22,427 $17,995
Avg Grant Aid $25,995 $8,925
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 86%

Admission

UIU GVSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 695 24,297
Admitted 649 23,008
Acceptance Rate 93.4% 94.7%
Enrolled % 24.3% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/21 21/28
SAT Range 970/1160 940/1190
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

UIU GVSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

UIU GVSU
Graduation Rate 45% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $258

Diversity

UIU GVSU
% Men 5% 4%
% Women 14% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 83%
% Black 19% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

UIU GVSU
% In-State 49% 91%
% Out-of-State 51% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Grand Valley State University is larger than than UIU based on total student enrollment (22,269 students vs. 3,102 students)

UIU vs. GVSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIU or GVSU?

  • Upper Iowa University is 23.1% more expensive to attend than GVSU for in-state tuition ($18,000.00 vs. $14,628.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.7% higher at GVSU than Upper Iowa University ($20,820.00 vs. $18,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than UIU ($17,995 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Upper Iowa University are 14% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($9,770 vs. $11,142)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Upper Iowa University than Grand Valley State University (99% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Upper Iowa University students is 191.3% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($25,995 vs. $8,925)

UIU vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 160 points higher than at UIU (930)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UIU (20)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at UIU (3.34)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than UIU (93.4%)

UIU vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIU 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 UIU.

  • The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than Upper Iowa University (63% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Grand Valley State University earn on average $2,500 more per year than UIU graduates after ten years. ($44,600 vs. $42,100)
  • Upper Iowa University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than GVSU graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,000)
  • UIU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than GVSU graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More GVSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 50%)

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