Regional university
#6 Best colleges in MichiganCalvin University
Grand Rapids, MI · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $22,992 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,250 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#75 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#67 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#108 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#125 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#138 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#108 of 834
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- Best colleges for business in America#221 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#191 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#187 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#115 of 744
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#294 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#248 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#321 of 1,829
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#249 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#236 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#278 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#234 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#247 of 1,247
- Best mid-size colleges in America#133 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#247 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#249 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#229 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#246 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#176 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#184 of 749
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#108 of 430
In Michigan
- Best colleges for computer science in Michigan#1 of 20
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Michigan#2 of 22
- Best colleges for marketing in Michigan#3 of 29
- Best colleges for finance in Michigan#3 of 28
- Best colleges for accounting in Michigan#4 of 35
- Best colleges for education in Michigan#4 of 32
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- Best colleges for social work in Michigan#3 of 22
- Best colleges in Michigan#6 of 44
- Best colleges for engineering in Michigan#4 of 29
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Michigan#5 of 36
- Best colleges for nursing in Michigan#4 of 28
- Best colleges for business in Michigan#6 of 40
- Best test-optional colleges in Michigan#6 of 40
- Best mid-size colleges in Michigan#2 of 13
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Michigan#7 of 44
- Best colleges for psychology in Michigan#6 of 36
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Michigan#5 of 28
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Michigan#6 of 33
- Best colleges for history in Michigan#6 of 31
- Best colleges for art and design in Michigan#6 of 30
- Best colleges for chemistry in Michigan#6 of 30
- Best colleges for English in Michigan#6 of 30
- Best colleges for mathematics in Michigan#6 of 30
- Best colleges for music in Michigan#6 of 28
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Michigan#6 of 26
- Best colleges for economics in Michigan#6 of 24
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.74%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.87%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,233 · ACT 27
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$13,491
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $54,222 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 3,053 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 50% · Women 50% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 13% |
| Total students | 3,364 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $22,992 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $54,222 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 74% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 69% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 65% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 83% |
| First-year retention | 87% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $58,375 |
| Admission rate | 71% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $35 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 17% |
| Average SAT | 1233 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 550–660 |
| SAT math | 533–670 |
| ACT composite | 24–30 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Engineering (general) | |
| Accounting | |
| Nursing | |
| Business administration | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Psychology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Public relations | |
| Romance languages | |
| Social work | |
| Economics | |
| Teacher education | |
| Secondary education | |
| Biology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Writing and rhetoric |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Biochemistry, Biological and physical sciences, Broadcasting, Business/Corporate Communications, Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Computer Systems Analysis, Criminology, Data Analytics, Data Science, Design, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Ecology and evolutionary biology, English, Entrepreneurship, Film and video, Finance, Fine arts, Geography, Geology and earth science, German, History, Human resources, Interdisciplinary studies, International relations, Linguistics, Literature, Management science, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Pastoral counseling, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, Physics, Political science, Public health, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious studies, Social sciences, Sociology, Special education, Statistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Engineering | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 6% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 7% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,120 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $82,635Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 80% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)About 5 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 198,5352020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MilwaukeeAbout 121 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 24°F1991–2020 normal, from E GRAND RAPIDS, MI US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 71°F1991–2020 normal, from E GRAND RAPIDS, MI US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.81 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.27 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1.09 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Calvin University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 18% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Calvin University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $22,992 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Calvin University?
- Calvin University admitted 71% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Calvin University’s graduates do?
- 74% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $58,375; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,250.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 169080
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (small programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Christian Reformed Church
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Calvin vs Indiana Institute of Technology · Calvin vs North Central · Calvin vs Newman · Calvin vs Mount Saint Mary's
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