Wartburg College vs. GVSU

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

Wartburg College GVSU
Location Waverly, IA Allendale, MI
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,472 22,269
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #577 #559
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wartburg.edu gvsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wartburg College GVSU
Tuition (In State) $48,490 $14,628
Tuition (Out of State) $48,490 $20,820
Room & Board $11,062 $11,142
Avg Net Price $23,321 $17,995
Avg Grant Aid $38,519 $8,925
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 86%

Admission

Wartburg College GVSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,543 24,297
Admitted 2,528 23,008
Acceptance Rate 99.4% 94.7%
Enrolled % 16.8% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 21/28
SAT Range 978/1235 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

Wartburg College GVSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Wartburg College GVSU
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,100 $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Wartburg College GVSU
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 1% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 83%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Wartburg College GVSU
% In-State 66% 91%
% Out-of-State 29% 8%

Campus

Wartburg College 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 Wartburg College based on total student enrollment (22,269 students vs. 1,472 students)

Wartburg College vs. GVSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wartburg College or GVSU?

  • Wartburg College is 231.5% more expensive to attend than GVSU for in-state tuition ($48,490.00 vs. $14,628.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 132.9% higher at Wartburg College than Grand Valley State University ($48,490.00 vs. $20,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than Wartburg College ($17,995 vs. $23,321)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wartburg College are 0.7% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($11,062 vs. $11,142)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wartburg College than Grand Valley State University (97% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wartburg College students is 331.6% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($38,519 vs. $8,925)

Wartburg College vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wartburg College (1105) is 15 points higher than at GVSU (1090)
  • Incoming Wartburg College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at GVSU (24)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Wartburg College (3.48)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than GVSU (94.7%)

Wartburg College vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wartburg College 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 Wartburg College.

  • The graduation rate at Wartburg College is the same as at Grand Valley State University (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Wartburg College earn on average $3,500 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $44,600)
  • Grand Valley State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Wartburg College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • GVSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Wartburg College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Wartburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 62%)

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