Turning What If
Into What Is
From Curious Thinkers
to Confident Doers
Grand Valley State University is a catalyst for what could be. Where new ideas are explored. Where new interests are ignited. And where every student is encouraged to ask, “What if?”
Through personalized learning enhanced by active scholarship, we prepare globally minded citizens for the future they face and the communities they shape, and we accomplish our mission of empowering learners in their pursuits, professions, and purpose.
"One of the Best Colleges in the Midwest"
The Princeton Review, 2026
"One of the Top Public Schools in America"
U.S. News and Wold Report, 2026
A Future-proof Education
Grand Valley prepares students to become agile problem solvers by equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
What is Core to a Grand Valley Education?
Digital Literacy
We empower students to leverage modern technology while also being critical, ethical, collaborative, and innovative participants in our digitally driven world.
Student Agency
Our students are motivated and purposeful learners who play an active role in shaping their own educations as they pursue meaningful careers.
Experiential Learning
At Grand Valley, students build valuable experience in collaboration with their professors as well as the business and professional community.
No matter a student’s major, they’ll build skills that are highly sought after by employers.
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Critical thinking
- Creative problem solving
- Communication skills
- Adaptability
- Cultural understanding
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
Turning a Passion
Into a Profession
Our array of undergraduate and graduate programs prepares students to launch rewarding careers, while our 37 combined degree programs also enable students to earn graduate degrees even faster.
107
Undergraduate Degrees
37
Combined Degrees
44
Graduate Degrees
From Classroom Lectures
to Hands-on Help
At Grand Valley, our accomplished faculty members are more than experts; they are champions for lifelong learning whose deep knowledge translates into an educational experience that doesn’t just inform — it transforms.
They are instructors, yes. But they are also our students’ mentors, future peers, and biggest supporters. Their commitment to teaching means they invest in our students’ personal growth, guiding them through the kind of research experiences only available to graduate students at other universities.
Whether in the lab or in the field — or on the other side of the globe — Grand Valley students are getting their hands dirty, connecting theory with practice, and building experience that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
"Best Professors"
4,963
STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN 2023-2024
- Internships
- Clinical rotations
- Practica
- Student teaching
- Co-ops
- Fieldwork
- Study abroad
- Service learning
- Research
From Humble Beginnings to
STEM Powerhouse
Grand Valley has established itself as a leader in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education by expanding our STEM programs, investing substantially in cutting-edge facilities and undergraduate research, and building strategic alliances with regional and national employers.
The groundbreaking Blue Dot Lab, a collaborative initiative between the university and the community, will further empower students through enhanced experience- and project-based learning rooted in technology. Our hands-on approach will enable students to develop impactful solutions for employers, directly contributing to regional economic growth and navigating the shift from an industrial to a digital and AI-driven economy.
You can't just come out with a diploma anymore. You have to have hands-on experience in a lab. You have to demonstrate that you can do experiments and follow protocols and can troubleshoot and think critically.
Eric Miller
Director of Talent at the Van Andel Institute
One of several local STEM recruiters to visit Grand Valley
Student Researchers
Answer "What If?"
Under the guidance of Eric Ramsson, professor of biomedical sciences, Savannah Tormala’s research examined techniques — like craniosacral therapy and sound vibration — to promote relaxation and ease tension.
Noah Valentine, a junior geology major, worked with Ian Winkelstern, assistant professor of geology, to trace environmental change over the past 50 years by studying the dolomite formations in Sugarloaf Key, Florida.
From
Valley To City
Experience the best of both worlds at Grand Valley. Our vibrant Valley Campus in Allendale serves as the academic, residential, and social heart of our university, fostering a welcoming community brimming with resources and support to fuel our students’ growth.
Just a short distance away, our dynamic City Campus in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids is a launchpad for real-world impact. Home to the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus and Health Campus and programs including business, engineering, and health care, our City Campus offers students unparalleled opportunities to turn classroom knowledge into practical experience through research, internships, and co-ops embedded in the city’s thriving professional landscape. This is where “what if” career aspirations become “what is” professional success.
Life at GVSU
Warm, vibrant campuses filled with opportunities to connect.
400+ Student Organizations
28 Intramural Sports
37 Club Sports
19 Esports Teams
35 Fraternities and Sororities
All We Do is
Win, Win, Win
Grand Valley is one of the top Division II athletic programs in the nation, competing in 22 varsity sports, 37 club sports, and 19 esports teams.
From Move-in Day Jitters
to Making Big Moves
Fun fact: Students who live on campus earn higher grades, are more likely to graduate, and enjoy an overall more rewarding experience than students who live off campus. Grand Valley has some of the newest living centers in the state to help students thrive in a supportive community.
Equipped for Anything
Tutoring and reading center.
At Grand Valley, students are welcomed into a community where they are truly seen and supported. Here, the college journey is a shared one, with resources like personalized one-on-one tutoring, engaging community-based scholar programs, wide-ranging career services support, and dedicated spaces where students can be their authentic selves.
We’re committed to providing students with the unwavering support, essential resources, and the confidence that comes from knowing they belong and can achieve their biggest goals.
Walking the Walk
Grand Valley’s dedication to serving people and planet runs deep and results in tangible outcomes. We’ve been recognized nationally for our support of first-generation students and Indigenous students. We’re also widely known for our campus sustainability efforts, being home to nearly 2 million square feet of LEED-certified structures, as well as the first university student-housing unit in Michigan to receive the Energy Star designation.
Students volunteering at the Sustainable Agriculture Project (S.A.P.).
2024 MVAA Innovator Award
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency
2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award
#14
Ranking among "50 Safest Large Colleges and Universities"
CollegeChoice.net
Named one of the country's most environmentally responsible schools 15 years in a row
The Princeton Review
"One of the Top Universities Impacting Social Mobility"
U.S. News and World Report, 2026
Come, Stay,
Thrive
Our campuses are in the heart of a thriving West Michigan economy, and our long-standing partnerships with state and regional businesses provide students with opportunities in a variety of industries from health sciences to engineering to entrepreneurship and more — both as a student and beyond graduation.
Grand Valley students are employed by top Michigan companies like Corewell Health, Deloitte, Meijer, SpartanNash, and more!
GVSU CONTRIBUTION TO MICHIGAN'S ECONOMY
$3.0b
ANNUAL IMPACT
17k+
JOBS SUPPORTED
86%
OF GVSU GRADS WORK IN MICHIGAN
TOP GLOBAL EMPLOYERS OF GRAND VALLEY GRADUATES
Though we are located in West Michigan, our impact is felt worldwide.
- Ally Logistics
- Amazon
- Amway
- BDO
- Bissell
- BP
- Dow
- Eli Lilly
- EY
- Ford Motor Company
- General Motors
- Haworth
- JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Magna International
- Microsoft
- MillerKnoll
- Perrigo
- Pfizer
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Stryker
- The Walt Disney Company
- Whirlpool
Turning Opportunities
into Outcomes
Grand Valley offers a great return on educational investment because students enter the world equipped with the knowledge and skills that employers value. Year after year, employers come to Grand Valley to recruit because they know our students have the experience to make an impact right away.
44%
OF STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED IN FOUR YEARS HAD NO DEBT
79%
OF GRADUATES RECEIVED JOB OFFERS BEFORE GRADUATION
94%
OF RECENT GRADUATES ARE EMPLOYED OR PURSUING ADVANCED DEGREES
Ready to Excel
Grand Valley graduates are well-prepared to enter the professional world with outstanding pass rates on professional certification/licensure exams.
|
Program |
Pass Rate |
Program |
Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Athletic Training |
100% |
Physical Therapy |
100% |
|
Cardiovascular Sonography, adult echo |
100% |
Police Academy |
99% |
|
Cardiovascular Sonography, pediatric echo |
100% |
Physician Assistant |
98% |
|
Diagnostic Medical Sonography, ARDMS ABD |
100% |
Speech-Language Pathology |
98% |
|
Diagnostic Medical Sonography, OB-GYN |
100% |
Education, undergraduate |
96% |
|
Medical Dosimetry |
100% |
Occupational Therapy, MSOT |
95% |
|
Nursing (adult gerontology, D.N.P.) |
100% |
Nursing, B.S.N. Traditional |
94% |
|
Nursing (child and adolescent, D.N.P.) |
100% |
Radiation Therapy |
93% |
|
Nursing, M.S.N. |
100% |
Recreational Therapy (NCTRC) |
92% |
|
Nursing, PMHNP certificate |
100% |
Data based on most recent available results.
A "Best Bang for the Buck"
Your next steps
Now that you know more about Grand Valley State University, here are some resources and next steps to help you on your journey.
