Grand Valley State University tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Grand Valley State University is $28,367 a year for Michigan residents. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,317 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

What your family pays
$16,317 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $28,367. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for Michigan residents receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusIn-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$15,140$21,548
Housing & meals$11,142$11,142
Books & supplies$780$780
Personal & travel$2,477$2,477
Living-at-home adjustment−$1,172−$1,172
Total cost of attendance$28,367$34,775

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two. Out-of-state total = in-state total with out-of-state tuition.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$19,500
Loan default rate2.7%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out35%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants29%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$12,050Sticker price minus average net price

College Scorecard

Need-based and merit aid at GVSU

What GVSU reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.

If you qualify for need-based aid

Share of need met, on average78%Of students awarded need-based aid; excludes parent and unsubsidized loans
Students with need who had all of it met22%622 of 2,822
Average need-based grant$15,400
Average aid package$19,515Grants, work-study and need-based loans

If you don't qualify for need-based aid

Average merit scholarship from the college$5,217Students with no financial need; excludes athletic awards and tuition benefits
Students without need who got one82%1,239 first-year students

Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.

GVSU net price compared with other Michigan colleges

GVSU has the 27th-lowest average net price of 48 Michigan colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
23Western Michigan University$15,27358%$53,562
24Eastern Michigan University$15,40746%$51,793
25Great Lakes Christian College$15,52436%$31,053
26Kuyper College$15,64450%$41,066
27Grand Valley State University$16,31767%$56,118
28Aquinas College$16,62665%$49,584
29Siena Heights University$17,12439%$57,529
30Central Michigan University$17,59759%$55,874
31Davenport University$17,70757%$45,099

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Michigan colleges →

Why GVSU costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Grand Valley State University83%$16,31767%$56,118This school
Wayne State University81%$12,76658%$53,493
Western Michigan University85%$15,27358%$53,562
Oakland University88%$9,12058%$58,612
Central Michigan University90%$17,59759%$55,874

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Grand Valley State University would cost you $3,551 more per year than Wayne State University, on average.

  • Higher sticker price at Grand Valley State University, mostly from more Wayne State University students living at home, which lowers its average (+$4,156).
  • Wayne State University gives aided families $2,534 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Michigan residentGVSUWSUDifference
Tuition & fees$15,140$15,190−$50
Books & supplies$780$1,316−$536
Housing & meals$11,142$11,762−$620
Personal & travel$2,477$4,410−$1,933
Living-at-home adjustment−$1,172−$5,328+$4,156
Sticker price$28,367$27,350+$1,017
Average grants−$12,050−$14,584+$2,534
You pay$16,317$12,766+$3,551

“+” means GVSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

GVSU cost questions

How much is tuition at GVSU?

Tuition and fees are $15,140 a year for Michigan residents and $21,548 for out-of-state students.

What is the total cost of attending GVSU?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $28,367 a year for Michigan residents living on campus and about $34,775 for out-of-state students.

What do families actually pay at GVSU?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,317 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $12,272; $48–75k pay $12,861; $110k+ pay $22,534. These figures are for Michigan residents.

Does GVSU give merit scholarships?

For fall 2025, 1,239 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from Grand Valley State University, averaging $5,217 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 78% of it met on average.

How much debt do GVSU graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and 2.7% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is GVSU the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Grand Valley State University overview