St. Ambrose University vs. GVSU

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

St. Ambrose University GVSU
Location Davenport, IA Allendale, MI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,703 22,269
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #437 #559
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sau.edu gvsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Ambrose University GVSU
Tuition (In State) $35,318 $14,628
Tuition (Out of State) $35,318 $20,820
Room & Board $12,348 $11,142
Avg Net Price $23,578 $17,995
Avg Grant Aid $26,559 $8,925
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

St. Ambrose University GVSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,456 24,297
Admitted 2,534 23,008
Acceptance Rate 73.3% 94.7%
Enrolled % 16.7% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 21/28
SAT Range 1020/1240 940/1190
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

St. Ambrose University GVSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

St. Ambrose University GVSU
Graduation Rate 62% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,764 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $266 $258

Diversity

St. Ambrose University GVSU
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 15% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 83%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

St. Ambrose University GVSU
% In-State 37% 91%
% Out-of-State 60% 8%

Campus

St. Ambrose University 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 St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (22,269 students vs. 2,703 students)

St. Ambrose University vs. GVSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Saint Ambrose University is 141.4% more expensive to attend than GVSU for in-state tuition ($35,318.00 vs. $14,628.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.6% higher at St. Ambrose University than Grand Valley State University ($35,318.00 vs. $20,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than St. Ambrose University ($17,995 vs. $23,578)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grand Valley State University are 10.8% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($11,142 vs. $12,348)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University than Grand Valley State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Ambrose University students is 197.6% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($26,559 vs. $8,925)

St. Ambrose University vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 40 points higher than at St. Ambrose University (1050)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at St. Ambrose University (23)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than St. Ambrose University (73.3%)

St. Ambrose University vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Ambrose University 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 St. Ambrose University .

  • The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than Saint Ambrose University (63% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Saint Ambrose University earn on average $3,700 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $44,600)
  • Grand Valley State University students graduate with a $764 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,764)
  • GVSU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($258 vs. $266)
  • More St. Ambrose University 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/