Capella vs Grand Valley State

Capella University and Grand Valley State University, while both offering quality education, present distinct characteristics that cater to different student preferences. Capella, a private online university, boasts a remarkably high acceptance rate of 100%, making it an accessible option for aspiring learners. In contrast, Grand Valley State University, a public institution with a traditional campus setting, maintains a more selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 79%. Capella's student body primarily comprises working adults seeking flexible learning options, while Grand Valley's student population is a diverse mix of traditional undergraduates and graduate students. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details regarding tuition fees, popular majors, graduation rates, and other crucial factors that will help you make an informed decision about your educational journey.
Capella University logo

Capella University

Grand Valley State University logo

Grand Valley State University

Overview

Location Minneapolis, Minnesota Allendale, Michigan
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (For Profit) Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 60.0% 83.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission 91.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 17,163
Total number of admissions given out 15,730
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,807
Yield rate 24.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A
High school GPA N/A Required
Recommendation letters N/A Not required
High school transcript N/A Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $21,572
In state: $23,604

Out of state: $29,340
Average net price $17,840 $16,947
Tuition $14,148
In state: $13,560

Out of state: $19,296
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,380

Meal plan: $3,500
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $3,202
80.0%
Average amount $8,376
Students receiving federal student loan 100.0%
Average amount $7,943
50.0%
Average amount $5,161
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $0
6.0%
Average amount $13,024

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 12,383
Men 19.2% Women 80.8%
19,379
Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
Graduate students 26,333
Men 17.0% Women 83.0%
3,027
Men 28.0% Women 72.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 10.6%
International students 0.6% 1.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A 6,012
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Michigan Illinois Indiana Ohio Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Education
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 32:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 50.0% 67.1%
Dropout rate 50.0% 15.6%
Transferred out N/A 15.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Management Information Systems and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $127,993
  • Year 3: $128,733
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,301
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $119,533
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,251
  • Year 2: $102,409
  • Year 3: $109,147
Homeland Security (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $101,964
  • Year 3: $107,926
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,861
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $106,574
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,654
  • Year 2: $99,886
  • Year 3: $100,616
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,456
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $96,294
Business/Commerce, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,971
  • Year 2: $89,170
  • Year 3: $95,852
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,010
  • Year 2: $93,816
  • Year 3: $92,845
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,425
  • Year 2: $88,678
  • Year 3: $92,470
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $103,525
  • Year 2: $105,839
  • Year 3: $111,967
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,846
  • Year 2: $96,539
  • Year 3: $93,695
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,623
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $83,454
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,965
  • Year 2: $68,666
  • Year 3: $73,434
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,881
  • Year 2: $62,691
  • Year 3: $72,792
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,211
  • Year 2: $65,969
  • Year 3: $72,474
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,095
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $71,736
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,039
  • Year 2: $58,479
  • Year 3: $69,240
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,382
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $68,410
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,161
  • Year 2: $67,939
  • Year 3: $68,289

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