Calvin University vs La Sierra University

Calvin University and La Sierra University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Calvin, a Christian liberal arts college in Grand Rapids, Michigan, boasts a 79% acceptance rate and a student body that is predominantly White (78%) and female (58%). On the other hand, La Sierra, a Seventh-day Adventist university in Riverside, California, has a higher acceptance rate of 86% and a more diverse student body, with a significant Hispanic population (38%) and a gender distribution that is nearly equal. While both universities offer a range of undergraduate programs, Calvin is known for its strengths in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, while La Sierra excels in health professions, business, and education. With different graduation rates (88% for Calvin and 79% for La Sierra), these institutions provide distinct academic environments and opportunities for personal growth, inviting prospective students to explore the comparison table for further insights into their distinctive
Calvin University logo

Calvin University

La Sierra University logo

La Sierra University

Overview

Location Grand Rapids, Michigan Riverside, California
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 86.0% 72.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Protestant Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.1% 66.1%
Application fees $35
SAT range 1120 - 1340 880 - 1140
ACT range 24 - 30 18 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 61.0% 25.0%
Students submitting ACT score 24.0% 2.0%
Total number of applicants 3,986 2,726
Total number of admissions given out 2,992 1,801
Admitted students who chose to enroll 736 287
Yield rate 24.6% 15.9%
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 $59,289
Average net price $27,120 $25,230
Tuition $37,990 $33,228
Room & board $10,800
Room/dormitory: $4,740

Meal plan: $4,050
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 $20,812
Students receiving federal student loan 43.0%
Average amount $4,987
59.0%
Average amount $4,980
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $16,620
1.0%
Average amount $22,020

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,068
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
1,351
Men 41.2% Women 58.8%
Graduate students 189
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
387
Men 33.1% Women 66.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 11.7% 14.1%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,453 850
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Theology
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 77.3% 44.9%
Dropout rate 7.6% 20.1%
Transferred out 14.7% 34.7%
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 (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,771
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $56,649
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,359
  • Year 2: $26,933
  • Year 3: $41,100
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,044
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,771
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,215
  • Year 2: $16,478
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,179
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: N/A
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,431
  • Year 2: $29,751
  • Year 3: N/A

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