Calvin University vs Biola University

Calvin University and Biola University, both esteemed Christian institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Calvin, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to Biola's (76%) in La Mirada, California. While Calvin's student body is predominantly White (72%), Biola's is more diverse, with a significant Hispanic population (28%). Both universities excel in certain academic areas; Calvin is known for its strong programs in engineering and nursing, while Biola is recognized for its exceptional offerings in the arts and sciences. With graduation rates of 78% and 75% respectively, both institutions ensure that their students are well-prepared for their future careers. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover more distinctions between these two outstanding universities and make an informed decision about your educational journey.

	Biola University	Calvin University
Overview
Location	La Mirada, California	Grand Rapids, Michigan
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	88.0%	86.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Undenominational	Protestant

Admission
Acceptance rate	60.8%	75.1%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $65	$35
SAT range	1103 - 1348	1120 - 1340
ACT range	22 - 29	24 - 30
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	61.0%
Students submitting ACT score	11.0%	24.0%
Total number of applicants	4,354	3,986
Total number of admissions given out	2,646	2,992
Admitted students who chose to enroll	655	736
Yield rate	24.8%	24.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$59,500	$52,840
Average net price	$29,123	$27,120
Tuition	$44,382	$37,990
Room & board	$10,202	$10,800
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $28,421	95.0% Average amount $24,410
Students receiving federal student loan	47.0% Average amount $4,897	43.0% Average amount $4,987
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $15,279	7.0% Average amount $16,620

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,596 Men 38.0% Women 62.0%	3,068 Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students	1,955 Men 54.5% Women 45.5%	189 Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	28.6%	N/A
International students	9.2%	11.7%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	2,750	2,453
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Washington Oregon Texas Colorado	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Theology Health Professions Education Philosophy and Religious Studies Psychology	Health Professions Business Education Engineering Theology
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	69.9%	77.3%
Dropout rate	6.1%	7.6%
Transferred out	22.7%	14.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $78,482 Year 2: $74,576 Year 3: $86,424 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $73,587 Year 2: $62,012 Year 3: $72,963 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,111 Year 2: $44,711 Year 3: $53,447 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,980 Year 2: $51,273 Year 3: $52,274 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,574 Year 2: $26,585 Year 3: $44,140 Music (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,811 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $43,156 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,228 Year 2: $35,772 Year 3: $41,681 Religious Education (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,993 Year 2: $26,933 Year 3: $41,017 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,448 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $40,971 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,443 Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $40,650	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,594 Year 2: $61,020 Year 3: $73,154 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,088 Year 2: $65,188 Year 3: $71,772 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,940 Year 2: $57,564 Year 3: $62,400 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,498 Year 2: $57,770 Year 3: $60,645 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,593 Year 2: $45,980 Year 3: $53,866 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,275 Year 2: $60,878 Year 3: $51,938 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,034 Year 2: $32,382 Year 3: $44,640 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,528 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $39,008 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,756 Year 2: $31,133 Year 3: $37,976 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,469 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $36,953

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