Calvin University

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Private Nonprofit City: Midsize

Calvin University is a private nonprofit institution in Grand Rapids, Michigan enrolling 3,193 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. The acceptance rate is 70.9% with an average SAT of 1,233. Graduates earn a median of $58,375 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid data. The average net price after financial aid is $22,992. This profile includes admissions data, graduation rates, program-level earnings, and cost breakdowns to help students compare colleges using official federal data.

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Calvin University

Calvin University operates as a private nonprofit institution located in Grand Rapids, Michigan (city: midsize), with a total reported enrollment of 3,193 students of which 3,252 are undergraduates. Institution-level records in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classify each school by Carnegie category, ownership sector, and urban/rural locale, which is how this profile’s peer group and cost cohort are determined. Calvin University is categorized as “20” under the Carnegie classification system, a meaningful signal when comparing like-to-like institutions.

Selectivity and financial signals give context to what applicants can expect. The reported admission rate is 70.9%, drawn from the most recent IPEDS Fall enrollment survey, with an average SAT of 1,233 and an ACT midpoint of 27. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,992, with published in-state tuition of $39,350 and a Pell grant recipient share of 17.4%. Median federal student debt at graduation is $23,250, drawn from the U.S. Treasury-matched College Scorecard file.

Outcomes reveal whether the investment pays back. The 4-year completion rate is 75.8%, and the first-year retention rate is 86.8%. Graduates earn a median of $58,375 ten years after enrolling, compared with $48,039 six years post-enrollment. Within three years of entering repayment, 141900.0% of borrowers are making progress on their federal loans, and 67.0% of graduates earn above the high-school threshold. Treating these numbers as a single snapshot alongside the cost cohort is the standard approach for evaluating ROI under the College Scorecard methodology.

Quick Facts

3,193
Total enrollment
70.9%
Acceptance rate
1,233
SAT average
75.8%
4-yr graduation rate
$58,375
10-yr median earnings
86.8%
First-year retention

Admissions

Admission Rate 70.9%
SAT Average 1,233
SAT Math (25th-75th) 533 – 670
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 550 – 660
ACT Average 27
ACT (25th-75th) 24 – 30

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $39,350
Out-of-State Tuition $39,350
Average Net Price $22,992

Net Price by Family Income

$0 – $30,000 $19,281
$30,001 – $48,000 $18,330
$48,001 – $75,000 $19,447
Over $110,000 $26,713
17.4%
Pell Grant Rate
33.4%
Federal Loan Rate
$23,250
Median Debt
$246/mo
Monthly Payment

Student Demographics

White 68.0%
African American 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.5%
International 14.5%
56.3%
Female
13.2%
First Generation

Outcomes

75.8%
4-Year Completion Rate
86.8%
Retention Rate
$48,039
Median Earnings (6yr)
$58,375
Median Earnings (10yr)
67.0%
Earning Over $25K
141900.0%
Loan Repayment (3yr)

Programs & Earnings

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Computer Science Bachelor's 35 $95,410 $18,250
Engineering, General Bachelor's 75 $82,326 $22,409
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 23 $75,085 $23,250
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 69 $74,810 $25,250
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 8 $73,155 $20,000
Education, General Master's 29 $65,014
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Master's 29 $63,146 $36,079
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Bachelor's 20 $60,986 $19,500
Psychology, General Bachelor's 50 $54,412 $23,767
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's 33 $53,949 $24,833
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Bachelor's 2 $52,281
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Bachelor's 12 $50,218 $19,500
Social Work Bachelor's 16 $49,811 $27,000
Economics Bachelor's 14 $48,169 $20,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Bachelor's 49 $47,157 $19,500
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Bachelor's 32 $45,579 $26,022
Biology, General Bachelor's 29 $44,763 $19,682
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 9 $43,138 $23,250
Special Education and Teaching Bachelor's 14 $39,009
Mathematics Bachelor's 7 $38,337
Political Science and Government Bachelor's 13 $33,993
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Bachelor's 20 $32,843
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's 11 $29,685
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's 48 $29,685 $27,000
Sociology Bachelor's 7 $28,598
Fine and Studio Arts Bachelor's 10 $25,967
History Bachelor's 8 $24,035
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's 9 $23,693
Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's 7 $15,906 $19,750
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Bachelor's 9 $23,000

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for Calvin University?
Calvin University is a private nonprofit institution in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The acceptance rate is 70.9%. The average SAT score is 1,233. Total enrollment is 3,193 students.
How much do Calvin University graduates earn?
Graduates of Calvin University earn a median of $58,375 ten years after enrollment. Six years after enrollment, median earnings are $48,039.
How much does Calvin University cost?
The average net price at Calvin University is $22,992. In-state tuition is $39,350 and out-of-state tuition is $39,350. Median student debt at graduation is $23,250.
What is the graduation rate at Calvin University?
Calvin University has a 4-year completion rate of 75.8%. The first-year retention rate is 86.8%.
Is Calvin University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Calvin University is $23,250, while graduates earn a median of $58,375 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 40% of first-year post-graduation earnings. 141900.0% of borrowers are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $246.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024-25 academic year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Primary: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Data reflects most recent available year.

Institutional characteristics: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) institutional characteristics file.

Earnings: Median earnings 6 and 10 years after enrollment, from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid data.

Program data: Credential-level earnings from the College Scorecard Field of Study dataset.

All federal data sources used on this page

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching used by the College Scorecard.