Calvin University vs Vanguard University of Southern California

Calvin University and Vanguard University of Southern California, while both offering faith-based education, present distinct experiences for prospective students. Calvin, rooted in the Christian Reformed tradition, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to Vanguard's selective admissions (67%). Calvin's student body is predominantly White (73%) and female (58%), while Vanguard's student population is more diverse, with a larger Hispanic population (28%) and a more balanced gender ratio. Both universities excel in certain academic areas; Calvin is known for its strong programs in the social sciences and education, while Vanguard is recognized for its nursing and business programs. With varying graduation rates (83% for Calvin and 79% for Vanguard), these institutions offer unique opportunities for students seeking a faith-based education, encouraging you to explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Calvin University	Vanguard University of Southern California
Overview
Location	Grand Rapids, Michigan	Costa Mesa, California
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
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%	75.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Protestant	Protestant

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.1%	69.0%
Application fees	$35	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $45
SAT range	1120 - 1340	980 - 1200
ACT range	24 - 30	19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score	61.0%	12.0%
Students submitting ACT score	24.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	3,986	2,917
Total number of admissions given out	2,992	2,013
Admitted students who chose to enroll	736	500
Yield rate	24.6%	24.8%
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	$60,800
Average net price	$27,120	$20,427
Tuition	$37,990	$37,000
Room & board	$10,800	Room/dormitory: $6,588 Meal plan: $5,430
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 $27,535
Students receiving federal student loan	43.0% Average amount $4,987	95.0% Average amount $5,626
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $16,620	3.0% Average amount $15,362

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,068 Men 47.1% Women 52.9%	1,975 Men 31.5% Women 68.5%
Graduate students	189 Men 38.1% Women 61.9%	293 Men 31.4% Women 68.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	11.7%	0.2%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	2,453	1,049
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	Psychology Business Education Health Professions Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	77.3%	61.5%
Dropout rate	7.6%	37.7%
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	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $116,679 Year 3: $134,779 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $91,857 Year 2: $91,300 Year 3: $89,882 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $60,756 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,112 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $47,596 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,217 Year 2: $40,697 Year 3: $45,892 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $34,348 Year 3: $42,899 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,413 Year 2: $33,043 Year 3: $39,397 Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $37,493 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $35,701 Education, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $35,495

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Calvin University vs Vanguard University of Southern California

Calvin University

Vanguard University of Southern California

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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