Numbers don't tell the whole story, but they're a great way to start learning about Grand Valley. Explore Grand Valley by the Numbers for a quick overview of what we're all about.
Grand Valley State University was chartered by the Michigan legislature in 1960 in response to the need for a public, four-year college in the state's second largest metropolitan region.
Educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies. The university contributes to the enrichment of society through excellent teaching, active scholarship, and public service.
Click here to learn more on our strategic planning page.
Allendale, Michigan is home to Grand Valley's main campus, established in 1960, situated on 1,304 acres 12 miles west of Grand Rapids. The 38-acre Robert C. Pew Campus in the heart of Grand Rapids is comprised of two separate sites with a total of 11 buildings including the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences (CHS), John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering, and the new L. William Seidman Center. Classes are also offered in the Meijer Campus in Holland, and at our regional locations in Muskegon and Traverse City.
Click here for a virtual tour of our campuses.
Click here for maps and directions.
President:
Thomas J. Haas
Board of Trustees:
Sue C. Carnell, M.A., Wayne
David S. Hooker, M.B.A., Grand Rapids
John C. Kennedy, M.B.A., Grand Rapids
Noreen K. Myers, J.D., Lowell, Chair of the Board
Shelley E. Padnos, J.D., Douglas
Michael D. Thomas, J.D., Freeland
David L. Way, DeWitt
Kate Pew Wolters, M.S.W., Grand Rapids
Thomas J. Haas (ex officio) Ph.D., The President of the University
Dorothy A. Johnson, Honorary Life Member
Donna K. Brooks, Honorary Life Member
Grand Valley is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission; Member - North Central Association, 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504; telephone: (312) 263-0456; Web: www.ncahlc.org
Click here to see a list of GVSU's accredited programs.
24,654 total Students
21,317 undergraduate students
3,337 graduate students
370 international students enrolled
82 different countries represented
17 years in a row named one of America's "100 Best College Buys."
| Student Type | Division | Credits | Cost | Cost per credit | ||||
| Michigan Residents (undergraduate¹) | Lower | 12-15 | $5,039 | $420 per credit for 1-11 credits and for each credit over 15 | ||||
| Michigan Residents (undergraduate¹) | Upper2 | 12-15 | $5,291 | $441 per credit for 1-11 credits and for each credit over 15 | ||||
| Non Michigan Residents (undergraduate¹) | Lower | 12-15 | $7,284 | $607 per credit for 1-11 credits and for each credit hour over 15 | ||||
| Non Michigan Residents (undergraduate¹) | Upper2 | 12-15 | $7,548 | $629 per credit for 1-11 credits and for each credit hour over 15 | ||||
| Michigan Residents (Masters3) | $522-$557 per credit hour depending on program | |||||||
| Michigan Residents (Doctoral3) | $627 per credit hour. Additional information available here | |||||||
| Non Michigan Residents (Masters3) | $705–$740 per credit hour depending on program | |||||||
| Non Michigan Residents (Doctoral3) | $840 per credit hour. Additional information available here |
A per credit hour surcharge will be assessed to those students taking classes that require special equipment, consumable supplies, or extraordinary overhead.
1 Students classified as undergraduates registering for masters and doctorate courses pay undergraduate tuition rates.
2 Students are classified as upper division upon earning their 55th semester credit.
3 Students classified as graduates pay their graduate program tuition rate for all courses taken.
$239 million in financial aid offered, and the average student pays $3,500 less than the posted tuition price
$66 million of that aid was in the form of scholarships and grant assistance
95 percent of full-time dependent students received aid with an average award of $12,739
Two 15 week semesters
Fall 2013 semester: August 26, 2013 – December 14, 2013
Winter 2014 semester: January 6, 2014 – April 26, 2014
Two 6 week sessions/one 12 week session
Spring 2013 session: May 6, 2013 – June 19, 2013
Summer 2013 session: June 24, 2013 – August 2, 2013
Spring/Summer 2013 session: May 6, 2013 – August 2, 2013
88,162 + alumni network
40,000 alumni in Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon counties
7,061 students participating in internships, co-ops, practica, and student teaching
6,202 employment and internship opportunities listed with GVSU Career Center
737 employers participating in career events
88.8 percent recent graduates are employed or pursuing advanced degrees
84 percent of recent graduates are working in Michigan
Pass Rates on Professional Licensure Exams (2012)
| Program | GVSU Grad Pass Rate | State or National Average | ||
| Engineering (Undergraduate) | 100% | 85% | ||
| Physical Therapy | 100% | 86% | ||
| Occupational Therapy | 100% | NA | ||
| Physician Assistant Studies | 100% | NA | ||
| Police Academy | 100% | NA | ||
| Nursing (Undergraduate) | 95% | 87% | ||
| Therapeutic Recreation | 92% | 73% | ||
| Education (Undergraduate) | 91% | 85% | ||
| Medical Laboratory Science | 89% | 86% |
Forbes magazine listed GVSU as one of "America's Top Colleges" in 2012.
GVSU was named one of the "Best in the Midwest" by The Princeton Review in 2012.
GVSU was ranked in the top 10 of colleges and universities in the state by StateUniversity.com/.
GVSU was ranked 2nd for Midwest Regional Universities in the 2012 "Up-and-Comers" category and one of the best Midwest regional universities in the "Best Regional Universities" category of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges 2012.
GVSU was named one of the country’s greenest universities by Sierra Club in 2012. The university placed 16th and is the highest-ranking Michigan institution on the list.
GVSU's Seidman College of Business named one of the nation's best business schools by The Princeton Review 2012.
GVSU was awarded the gold medal in the AASHE assessment and rating system in 2013.
5,820 beds on campus
83% of first-year students live on campus
6 dining locations
4 styles of living centers to choose from: traditional, suite-style, apartment-style, on-campus apartments
Grand Valley is NCAA Division II and competes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
20 varsity sports (11 womens, 9 mens)
34 club sports (click here to view them)
13 National Championships in seven sports since 2002
11 straight years earning first or second in the Directors' Cup for being the best NCAA Division II athletic program in the nation
22nd in a national ranking of academics and athletics among Division II colleges by the National Collegiate Scouting Association
Click here to visit our Athletics page.
356 student organizations and growing
40 service or advocacy organizations
32 fraternities and sororities
13 plus intramural sports
Click here to visit our student life page.
$45 million + spent on sustainable procurement annually including construction, renovation, and minority vendor purchases.
25 million gallons of water saved between 2006-2011, even though student population has grown and building square footage has increased.
9 million sheets of paper saved during the first year computer labs transitioned to duplex printing
2,866,316 total bus ridership for 2011-2012 fiscal year.
1.8 million + gallons of gasoline saved in 2012 by faculty, staff, and students who use the free Rapid bus service.
$1.1 million + saved per year through energy saving projects and LEED facilities.
10,000 pounds of food waste per week saved through composting.
Click here to learn more about sustainability at Grand Valley.
4,000+ study abroad programs available to GVSU students
807 students studied abroad in the 2011-2012 academic year
13th national ranking in study abroad participation by the Institute of International Education
Click here to visit our Study Abroad website.
1,030,999 electronic journals and books
518,453 volumes (non-electric)
4 libraries including the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons and Seidman House on the Allendale campus; the Steelcase Library in the Richard M. DeVos Center on the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids campus; and the Frey Foundation Learning Center in Cook Devos Center for Health Sciences.
NEW IN 2013: Mary Idema Pew Library, Learning, and Information Commons: opens in Fall 2013. The groundbreaking library will house a knowledge market with experts to provide research, technology, and presentation coaching, as well as 150,000 books on open shelves and a capacity for 600,000 books in an automated retrieval system.
Recipient of the 2012 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award by the Association of College and Research Libraries.
$732.3 million in total estimated impact (Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon counties)
$182.1 million total estimated student expenditures in the area
6 million community service hours performed by students through classroom assignments, student organizations, the Community Learning Service Center, and personal volunteer work during the 2011-2012 academic year
10,836 permanent off-campus jobs attributed to GVSU
Click here to read our Economic Impact brochure.
$318.8 million general fund budget, of which $266.2 million is tuition and $52.6 million is state appropriations
$74.1 million endowment
$8.2 million in private funding (gifts and overall pledges)
$537,000 in faculty and staff giving (most generous of any university in Michigan)
Colors: Blue, Black, and White
Nickname: The Lakers
Mascot: Louie the Laker
First Sport: Crew (1964)
Pioneer Class: 226 students (1963)
President’s Ball: 4,000+ attend the annual formal event
President’s Nickname: T. Haas
Presidents: James H. Zumberge (1963–1969), Arend “Don” Lubbers (1969–2001), Mark A. Murray (2001–2006), Thomas J. Haas (2006–Present)
To download a raw data set of GVSU statistics, please visit the Institutional Analysis website.
Download the Talking Points PDF for a handy reference regarding quick facts about Grand Valley State University. (Requires acrobat reader)
1 Campus Drive
Allendale, MI 49401-9403
USA - (616) 331-5000
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