Grand Valley State University
Academics

Back to Profile

How strong are the academics at Grand Valley State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

15:1
Student to faculty ratio
27
Average class size
45%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Grand Valley State has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
146
10-19
753
20-29
1,281
30-39
700
40-49
119
50-99
143
100+
15

Honors Programs

Grand Valley State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Grand Valley State's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Grand Valley State University:

76%
First-year retention rate
45%
4-year grad rate
69%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Grand Valley State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Psychology, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Exercise Science and Kinesiology
Finance, General
172.8
188.64
204.48
220.32
236.16
252

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Women's Studies 7
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences, General 184
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 91
  • Neurobiology and Behavior 60
  • Biochemistry 29
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 19
  • Wildlife Biology 3
  • Microbiology, General 2
Business
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 215
  • Finance, General 186
  • Accounting 105
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 81
  • Management Science 76
  • Business/Commerce, General 74
  • Hotel/Motel Administration/Management 63
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 44
  • Business/Managerial Economics 25
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 14
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 13
  • Operations Management and Supervision 4
Communication
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 116
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 116
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 69
  • Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 29
  • Health Communication 18
  • Radio and Television 0
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 99
  • Information Science/Studies 23
  • Information Technology 15
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 8
Education
  • Computer Teacher Education 101
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 5
  • Art Teacher Education 5
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 0
  • Education, General 0
  • Earth Science Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 57
  • Computer Engineering, General 22
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 19
  • Manufacturing Engineering 18
  • Engineering, General 2
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 2
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician 22
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 80
  • Writing, General 31
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 11
  • French Language and Literature 5
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 2
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 2
  • German Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 239
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 182
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 79
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician 43
  • Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy 33
  • Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator 26
  • Dietetic Technician 19
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 18
  • Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies 0
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 0
History
  • History, General 24
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 109
Legal Professions And Studies
  • Legal Assistant/Paralegal 34
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 80
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 55
  • Statistics, General 34
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Biological and Physical Sciences 18
  • International/Globalization Studies 8
  • Biopsychology 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 43
  • Natural Resources/Conservation, General 42
  • Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management 0
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 193
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 42
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 5
  • Religion/Religious Studies 1
Physical Sciences
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 12
  • Chemistry, General 10
  • Physics, General 5
  • Geochemistry 2
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 252
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 121
  • Public Administration 24
Social Sciences
  • Social Sciences, General 45
  • Political Science and Government, General 43
  • International Relations and Affairs 19
  • Anthropology, General 19
  • Sociology, General 17
  • Geography 13
  • Economics, General 13
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 60
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 59
  • Music, General 38
  • Dance, General 7
  • Photography 7
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 6
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 0

Mistakes were made

(But not by you!)

These are the top 10 mistakes people make when searching for colleges

Top Ten Mistakes

CollegeIQ relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

© 2025 Whittier Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service