More selective than 63% of Michigan colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,936. College Scorecard.
Higher than 31% of Michigan colleges we cover and 39% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 44% of Michigan colleges we cover and 46% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Saginaw Valley State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 10,222 applicants, Saginaw Valley State University admitted 7,450 and 1,292 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 920–1170 on the SAT or 18–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Saginaw Valley State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Michigan residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Saginaw Valley State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Saginaw Valley State University took 4.8 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Michigan. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,844 | $47,153 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $19,711 | $94,416 | 5.1 years |
| $48–75k | $20,053 | $96,054 | 5.2 years |
| $75–110k | $18,879 | $90,430 | 4.9 years |
| $110k+ | $24,103 | $115,453 | 6.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.8 years, the average time graduates took (19% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($51,955) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,544 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Saginaw Valley State University majors, earnings & careers
Saginaw Valley State University offers 60 bachelor's majors across 11 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 11
- Business & Finance · 9
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 9
- Humanities & Languages · 8
- Health & Medicine · 7
- Arts & Design · 5
- Education · 4
- Engineering · 3
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Non-degree / basic skills · 1
Highest-earning majors at Saginaw Valley State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $90,681 | $26,250 |
| Electrical Engineering | $90,482 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | $83,873 | $26,679 |
| Nursing | $81,103 | $28,000 |
| Computer Systems Analysis | $72,888 | — |
| Accounting | $72,171 | $25,243 |
| Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences | $70,081 | $18,500 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $65,826 | $31,750 |
Quick list of all 60 majors
- Accounting$72,171
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Basic Skills and Developmental / Remedial Education—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other—
- Biology$54,038
- Business$47,065
- Business Administration$65,594
- Business Economics—
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other—
- Chemistry—
- Communications$53,825
- Computer and Information Sciences$90,681
- Computer Systems Analysis$72,888
- Criminal Justice$59,042
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$48,561
- Education (Subject Teaching)$49,761
- Electrical Engineering$90,482
- English$55,302
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance$65,610
- Geography—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$41,864
- History$42,803
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$50,816
- Legal Studies / Paralegal—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$55,558
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing$58,783
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$83,873
- Medical Laboratory Science$65,826
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$81,103
- Physical Sciences, Other—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health$53,376
- Psychology$50,066
- Public Administration—
- Public Health—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences$70,081
- Social Work$56,961
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$50,078
- Studio Art$42,270
- Theatre—
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other—
- Writing$50,875
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Social Work → Social worker
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 4.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Saginaw
Overall prices in the Saginaw, MI area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,141. Housing costs 36% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 32 inches of rain a year, 49 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Saginaw County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Saginaw County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Saginaw Valley State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Michigan by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw Valley State University | 72% | $10,775 | 48% | $51,955 | This school |
| University of Michigan-Flint | 70% | $7,007 | 40% | $53,230 | |
| Northern Michigan University | 84% | $14,085 | 52% | $47,107 | |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn | 56% | $9,492 | 58% | $59,649 | |
| Eastern Michigan University | 80% | $15,407 | 46% | $51,793 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Saginaw Valley State University would cost you $3,768 more per year than University of Michigan-Flint, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Saginaw Valley State University, mostly from more University of Michigan-Flint students living at home, which lowers its average (+$7,627).
- Saginaw Valley State University gives aided families $253 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Michigan resident | Saginaw Valley State University | University of Michigan-Flint | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,930 | $14,704 | −$1,774 |
| Books & supplies | $1,120 | $700 | +$420 |
| Housing & meals | $11,700 | $13,456 | −$1,756 |
| Personal & travel | $1,220 | $1,716 | −$496 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,034 | −$9,661 | +$7,627 |
| Sticker price | $24,936 | $20,915 | +$4,021 |
| Average grants | −$14,161 | −$13,908 | −$253 |
| You pay | $10,775 | $7,007 | +$3,768 |
“+” means Saginaw Valley State University 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.
Common questions about Saginaw Valley State University
What is the Saginaw Valley State University acceptance rate?
Saginaw Valley State University accepts 72% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 7,450 of 10,222 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 920–1170 on the SAT or 18–26 on the ACT.
How much does Saginaw Valley State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $24,936 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $10,775 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,844 and families earning $110k+ pay $24,103.
How much do Saginaw Valley State University graduates earn?
Former Saginaw Valley State University students earn a median $51,955 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Saginaw Valley State University graduation rate?
48% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year.
How long does a Saginaw Valley State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Saginaw Valley State University costs about $96,054 after grants ($20,053 a year for 4.8 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $51,955 ten years after starting, $18,544 more than high school graduates in Michigan ($33,411), so the cost is repaid in 5.2 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Saginaw Valley State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/saginaw-valley-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).