Michigan State University

https://www.msu.edu

Add Comparison

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$16,930

3% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$24,630

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

0.0126%

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

83.9%

58,879 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

51,316

89.5% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

82.5%

6,607 Graduates

About

Michigan State University is a higher education institution located in Ingham County, MI. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Michigan State University were General Biological Sciences (516 degrees awarded), General Psychology (496 degrees), and Advertising (417 degrees).

In 2023, 13,239 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Michigan State University. 54.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (8,968 degrees), 10.1 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (884 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Michigan State University is $16,930, which is $−14,073 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Michigan State University was 0.0126%, corresponding to 1 out of the 7,965 total borrowers.

Photo by John Martinez Pavliga

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Michigan State University is $16,930, which is $14,074 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,630.

In 2023, 73% of undergraduate students attending Michigan State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 33% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$16,930

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Michigan State University was $16,930. The cost of tuition at Michigan State University is $−14,074 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Michigan State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$24,630

2023 Value

8.01%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Michigan State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,630. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Michigan State University grew by 8.01%.

This chart compares the average net price of Michigan State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,990

Room and Board

$1,254

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Michigan State University was of $10,990 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 2.94% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,254. The cost of books and supplies increased by 7.36% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Michigan State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

73%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

33%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

73% of undergraduate students at Michigan State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a growth of 5.8% with respect to 2022, when 69% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Michigan State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.0126%

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Michigan State University was 0.0126%, which represents 1 out of the 7965 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Michigan State University received 58,879 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 10.4% annual growth. Out of those 58,879 applicants, 49,414 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 83.9% acceptance rate.

There were 51,316 students enrolled at Michigan State University in 2023. 39% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Michigan State University has an overall enrollment yield of 19.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

83.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

49,414

Accepted Out of 58,879

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Michigan State University was 83.9% (49,414 admissions from 58,879 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 88%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 10.4%, while admissions grew by 5.33%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Michigan State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

39%

Submission Percentage (2023)

3,668

Scores Submitted (2023)

39% of enrolled first-time students at Michigan State University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Michigan State University had a total enrollment of 51,316 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Michigan State University is 45,915 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,401. This means that 89.5% of students enrolled at Michigan State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Michigan State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 64.4% White, 7.8% Asian, 6.35% Black or African American, 6.31% Hispanic or Latino, 4% Two or More Races, 0.281% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0585% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Michigan State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (35.1%), followed by White Male (31.8%) and Asian Female (3.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (30.8%), followed by White Male (22%) and Asian Female (4.3%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

89.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Michigan State University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 51,316 students. The full-time enrollment at Michigan State University is 45,915 and the part-time enrollment is 5,401. This means that 89.5% of students enrolled at Michigan State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Michigan State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Michigan State University was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Michigan State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Michigan State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
33,066 enrolled students
Asian
4,002 enrolled students
Black or African American
3,261 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Michigan State University is 64.4% White, 7.8% Asian, 6.35% Black or African American, 6.31% Hispanic or Latino, 4% Two or More Races, 0.281% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0585% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,044 students (2.03%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 1,211 more women than men received degrees from Michigan State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Michigan State University is white (8,968 degrees awarded). There were 10.1 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (884 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Michigan State University is General Biological Sciences (516 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (496 degrees) and Advertising (417 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Michigan State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Agriculture (605 degrees awarded), Communications (1,038 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (265 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Physicians

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Michigan State University are Physicians (458,623 people), Other managers (328,793 people), Postsecondary teachers (223,710 people), Other Physical Scientists (189,630 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (149,864 people).

The most specialized majors at Michigan State University in 2023 are Agriculture (605 degrees awarded), Communications (1,038 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (265 degrees), Biology (1,467 degrees), and Physical Sciences (283 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Michigan State University are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at Michigan State University are Agriculture (605 degrees awarded), Communications (1,038 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (265 degrees), Biology (1,467 degrees), and Physical Sciences (283 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Michigan State University are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (624,971 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (567,019 people), Computer Systems Design (543,128 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (482,610 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (342,429 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Michigan State University.

Most Common (2023)

General Biological Sciences
516 degrees awarded
General Psychology
496 degrees awarded
Advertising
417 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Michigan State University was General Biological Sciences with 516 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Michigan State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

6,014

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

7,225

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 6,014 degrees were awarded to men at Michigan State University, which is 0.832 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (7,225).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Michigan State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 351 degrees were awarded to men at Michigan State University in General Computer & Information Sciences, which is 4.44 times more than the 79 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 410 degrees were awarded to men at Michigan State University in General Psychology, which is 3.69 times more than the 111 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

59%

100% Completion Time

82%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 59% of students graduating from Michigan State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 82% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 83% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Michigan State University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.53% of graduates (35 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
8,968 degrees awarded
Asian
884 degrees awarded
Black or African American
847 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Michigan State University is white (8,968 degrees awarded). There were 10.1 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (884 degrees).

1.33% of degree recipients (176 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
4,949 degrees awarded
White Male
4,019 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
550 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Michigan State University is white female (4,949 degrees awarded). There were 1.23 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (4,019 degrees).

Operations

Michigan State University has an endowment valued at nearly $4.58B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 278M (6.06%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Michigan State University had a total salary expenditure of 3.03B. Michigan State University employs 775 Professors, 704 Assistant professors and 615 Associate professors. Most academics at Michigan State University are Male Professor (549), Female Assistant professor (375), and Male Assistant professor (329).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Michigan State University are: Management, with 1,550 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 1,227 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 1,152 employees.

Endowment

$4.58B

2023 Endowment

4.69%

growth from 2022

Michigan State University has an endowment valued at about $4.58B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Michigan State University grew 4.69% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $4.15B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Michigan State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$481M - Federal
$20.5M - State
$9.9M - Local

As of 2023, Michigan State University received $481M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $20.5M from state grants and contracts, and $9.9M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$1.37B

2023 Salaries

4.06%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Michigan State University paid a median of $1.37B in salaries, which represents 45.4% of their overall expenditure ($3.03B) and a 4.06% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 8.93% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 5.18% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$319M

Instructional Salaries

2,492

Number of Employees

In 2023, Michigan State University paid a total of $319M to 2,492 employees working as instructors, which represents 23.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

775 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,550 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Michigan State University were Professor with 775 employees, Assistant professor with 704 employees, and Associate professor with 615 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Michigan State University were Management with 1,550 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,227 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 1,152 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Michigan State University was Male Professor with 549 employees, Female Assistant professor with 375 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 329 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Michigan State University.

Keep Exploring

University of Central Florida

University

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

University

Florida Institute of Technology