UNI vs. GVSU

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

UNI GVSU
Location Cedar Falls, IA Allendale, MI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,013 22,269
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #509 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu gvsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNI GVSU
Tuition (In State) $8,396 $14,628
Tuition (Out of State) $19,940 $20,820
Room & Board $9,648 $11,142
Avg Net Price $15,931 $17,995
Avg Grant Aid $5,325 $8,925
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 86%

Admission

UNI GVSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,913 24,297
Admitted 4,638 23,008
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 94.7%
Enrolled % 33.5% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 21/28
SAT Range 860/1210 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

UNI GVSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

UNI GVSU
Graduation Rate 67% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $258

Diversity

UNI GVSU
% Men 4% 4%
% Women 11% 10%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 83%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

UNI GVSU
% In-State 91% 91%
% Out-of-State 9% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Grand Valley State University is larger than than UNI based on total student enrollment (22,269 students vs. 9,013 students)

UNI vs. GVSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or GVSU?

  • Grand Valley State University is 74.2% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($14,628.00 vs. $8,396.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at GVSU than University of Northern Iowa ($20,820.00 vs. $19,940.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than GVSU ($15,931 vs. $17,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 15.5% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($9,648 vs. $11,142)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grand Valley State University than University of Northern Iowa (86% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grand Valley State University students is 67.6% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($8,925 vs. $5,325)

UNI vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grand Valley State University (1090) is 40 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming GVSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at UNI (3.61)
  • GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than UNI (94.4%)

UNI vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNI 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 UNI.

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than Grand Valley State University (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $3,100 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $44,600)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $4,375 lower median federal student loan debt than GVSU graduates. ($20,625 vs. $25,000)
  • UNI graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than GVSU graduates. ($213 vs. $258)
  • More UNI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 62%)

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