About Calvin
Calvin is a school with a big mission: equipping students to be agents of renewal, ready to step into the public square and renew all things for the glory of Christ.
We believe that you have something to offer the world; every student has something that God is calling him or her to do. Calvin鈥檚 job is to partner with you to discover what that is and then help you develop the skills you鈥檒l need to gain that success.
Key Facts
major and programs
total enrollment
ACT composite (middle 50%)
average class size
male to female ratio
student to faculty ratio
U.S. ethnic minorities
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first-year (freshmen) acceptance rate
first-to-second-year retention rate
National Merit Scholars
acre campus
A Firm Foundation
1857 to 2019
It started simply, as great things often do. But what began in 1876 as a school of ministry training for just seven students has emerged as a world-class, comprehensive Christian university.
Education for Shalom
The great writing prophets of the Bible knew how many ways human life had gone wrong because they knew how many ways human life can go right. And they dreamed of a time when God would put things right again鈥攃reating shalom鈥攗niversal flourishing, wholeness, and delight. This is why we鈥檙e here and it鈥檚 what we鈥檙e all about: educating for shalom.
We celebrate diversity
When you come to Calvin, we know you have a background, an identity that shapes the stories of your life. And we believe a student population rich in diversity in all its forms is a real benefit to our community and makes for a vibrant learning environment. We鈥檙e committed to the flourishing of all students from every race, ethnicity, culture, gender, and ability.
We honor the Creator by caring for creation
Education at Calvin is infused with thoughtful, biblically based principles that help form a foundation for living that honors the Creator and his creation. Our community gardens, campus recycling program, residence hall sustainability challenges, and academic endeavors are all pursued with both a mind and heart toward God鈥檚 plan for the renewal of all creation.
We see vocation as more than a career
Yes, your Calvin education will prepare you for excellence in your career field鈥攂ut our focus extends far beyond that. We don鈥檛 just equip you to find a job; we empower you to discover your calling. We don鈥檛 just hand you a textbook; we teach valuable life skills too, from paying rent to maintaining healthy relationships. We don鈥檛 just add you to a tally list of graduates; we train you to be a leader in your work, your church, and your community.
Don't Just Take Our Word For It
Calvin is ranked #4 overall among Midwest Regional Universities in U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 鈥淏est Colleges Guidebook.鈥
Professors are 鈥渆xtremely talented, interesting, and connected in their specific fields.鈥 Instructors are also 鈥渕asters at integration of education and Christianity,鈥 making the classes at Calvin less about teaching the requisites for getting a job and 鈥渕ore about how to continue to learn about the field and how Christianity should figure into it.鈥
Fiske Guide to Colleges
鈥淐alvin students describe the overall academic environment as challenging but supportive [...] Calvin graduates have few problems getting accepted to graduate schools of law, medicine, or business.鈥
Calvin is included in 鈥淭he Best Colleges For Your Money,鈥 a list compiled based on educational quality, affordability, and career outcomes.