Quad

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZQuad's selectivityOpen
Known forBig campusMostly onlineFirst-gen friendlyTest-optional heavyEnrollment up 89% since fall 2014
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

8 in 10 applicants admitted

Grand Canyon admits about 8 in 10 applicants (79%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 46% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

79%

79%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

51,203

Admitted

40,405

Yield

18%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1006–1113

8001600
ACT middle 50%

20–22

1836
Applications +114% since fall 2014 · admit rate 58% → 79%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A very large campus of 73,371 undergrads, where 46% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

73.4K

undergrads · larger than 100% of colleges

Diversity index

0.70

Pell Grant

46%

above the median

First generation

47%

above the median

Large cityNCAA D-I · Mountain West ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
Steady · index 0.70 → 0.70 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (23% of graduates). 20 students for every faculty member, more than at 90% of colleges. 10% of faculty are full-time. Spends $2,400 a year on instruction per student.

20 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 90% of colleges

Most popular major

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

23% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

$103.9K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

10%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$2.4K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $24,177 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), about the national median. The 96% who received grants paid $22,928 on average; the other 4% paid the full sticker price of $33,662.

28%

$24.2K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · about the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$33,662 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
33% · avg $9K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 28% of full price

Federal loans

53%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −13% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $42,186 ten years after enrolling, more than at 18% of colleges; 45% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.3 years of that salary.

45%

45%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$42.2K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.1K

≈ $234/month for 10 years

Retention

72%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 28% → 43% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 20% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 13%, as grants covered less of it. Applications rose 114% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 58% to 79%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −13% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +114%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 58% → 79%

  • Diversity

    Steady

    index 0.70 → 0.70

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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University of California-Riverside

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Mercy University

86% admit · 5.7K undergrads

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Aurora University

82% admit · SAT 995 · 4K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Grand Canyon University (2026)

    Grand Canyon University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 104717 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything