Calvin University vs Gordon College

Calvin University and Gordon College, two esteemed Christian liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Calvin, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to Gordon's 74%. Both institutions share a strong emphasis on faith-based learning, yet they differ in their academic offerings. Calvin excels in the sciences, with popular majors including biology, chemistry, and nursing, while Gordon's strengths lie in the social sciences, with majors such as psychology, sociology, and business administration being highly sought after. While Calvin's student body is predominantly white (75%), Gordon's student population is more diverse, with 55% white students. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Calvin's at 82% and Gordon's at 85%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more. Explore the table to discover which institution aligns best with your
Calvin University logo

Calvin University

Gordon College logo

Gordon College

Overview

Location Grand Rapids, Michigan Wenham, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 86.0% 79.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Protestant Interdenominational

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.1% 77.4%
Application fees $35
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1120 - 1340 1153 - 1370
ACT range 24 - 30 24 - 30
Students submitting SAT score 61.0% 24.0%
Students submitting ACT score 24.0% 8.0%
Total number of applicants 3,986 1,462
Total number of admissions given out 2,992 1,132
Admitted students who chose to enroll 736 317
Yield rate 24.6% 28.0%
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 $52,840 $40,910
Average net price $27,120 $25,917
Tuition $37,990 $25,250
Room & board $10,800
Room/dormitory: $7,480

Meal plan: $4,220
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

95.0%
Average amount $24,410
100.0%
Average amount $26,364
Students receiving federal student loan 43.0%
Average amount $4,987
68.0%
Average amount $7,144
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $16,620
13.0%
Average amount $14,683

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,068
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
1,368
Men 39.5% Women 60.5%
Graduate students 189
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
436
Men 26.4% Women 73.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 11.7% 8.4%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,453 1,390
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Mississippi Connecticut New Hampshire New York New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Theology
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 11:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 77.3% 72.1%
Dropout rate 7.6% 27.7%
Transferred out 14.7% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,771
  • Year 2: $46,556
  • Year 3: $51,827
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,003
  • Year 2: $27,681
  • Year 3: $42,021
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,123
  • Year 2: $35,954
  • Year 3: $41,684
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,092
  • Year 2: $31,038
  • Year 3: $36,135
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,785
  • Year 2: $33,459
  • Year 3: $33,409
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,365
  • Year 2: $30,228
  • Year 3: $32,774
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,486
  • Year 2: $30,988
  • Year 3: $32,663
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,082
  • Year 2: $21,964
  • Year 3: $27,417
Religion/Religious Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,219
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,587
  • Year 2: $27,439
  • Year 3: N/A

Compare Similar Colleges

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