College of Charleston (CofC) vs Grand Valley State

College of Charleston and Grand Valley State University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. College of Charleston, nestled in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, boasts a selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 63%, while Grand Valley State University, located in the vibrant city of Allendale, Michigan, welcomes a broader range of students with an acceptance rate of 84%. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, College of Charleston is renowned for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, while Grand Valley State University excels in business, engineering, and health professions. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further distinctions between these two exceptional universities, considering factors such as student body demographics, graduation rates, and popular majors, to determine the institution that best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
College of Charleston logo

College of Charleston

Grand Valley State University logo

Grand Valley State University

Overview

Location Charleston, South Carolina Allendale, Michigan
Campus setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 83.0% 83.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 76.1% 91.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range 1090 - 1280 N/A
ACT range 23 - 29 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 24.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0%
Total number of applicants 20,484 17,163
Total number of admissions given out 15,590 15,730
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,473 3,807
Yield rate 15.9% 24.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $30,535

Out of state: $51,995
In state: $23,604

Out of state: $29,340
Average net price $20,255 $16,947
Tuition
In state: $12,518

Out of state: $33,978
In state: $13,560

Out of state: $19,296
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,409

Meal plan: $4,550
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)

98.0%
Average amount $9,850
80.0%
Average amount $8,376
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $5,362
50.0%
Average amount $5,161
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $22,293
6.0%
Average amount $13,024

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,967
Men 33.6% Women 66.4%
19,379
Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
Graduate students 974
Men 22.6% Women 77.4%
3,027
Men 28.0% Women 72.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 53.1% 10.6%
International students 1.2% 1.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,338 6,012
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia Maryland Michigan Illinois Indiana Ohio Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 67.0% 67.1%
Dropout rate 6.0% 15.6%
Transferred out 26.3% 15.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,600
  • Year 2: $65,238
  • Year 3: $78,911
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,306
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $72,292
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,506
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $70,637
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,151
  • Year 2: $43,519
  • Year 3: $56,541
International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,823
  • Year 2: $42,930
  • Year 3: $55,591
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,896
  • Year 2: $40,688
  • Year 3: $48,268
Hospitality Administration/Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,234
  • Year 2: $39,009
  • Year 3: $46,902
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,857
  • Year 2: $36,460
  • Year 3: $45,816
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,619
  • Year 2: $43,000
  • Year 3: $44,802
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,551
  • Year 2: $31,848
  • Year 3: $44,802
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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