Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan · Public, a small city · 40,922 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into Michigan State?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
84.8%
58,879 applied
SAT, middle half
1180 to 1360
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
25 to 31
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
19% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- College-prep programRequired
- RecommendationsConsidered
- EssayRequired
How much does Michigan State cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Michigan residents
$17,256
Tuition and fees, out of state
$44,640
A full year, sticker price
$33,710
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$21,322
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $11,741 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $11,883 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,300 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,082 |
| Over $110,000 | $30,356 |
- Room and board on campus
- $12,928 a year
- Books and supplies
- $1,420 a year
- The school's own grants
- 96% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $7,036
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Michigan State students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$20,000
About $227 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
37.1%
Get a Pell Grant
23.7%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
1.8%
What do Michigan State graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$61,149
Ten years after starting
$74,168
Middle half: $50,905 to $105,750
Best-paid program, five years out
$129,493
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$42,617
Fine and Studio Arts
Do Michigan State students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
90%
Graduate in six years
80.3%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
82% graduated
11% transferred, 0% still enrolled
Who goes to Michigan State?
Women
51.6%
First in their family at college
21%
Part-time
6.2%
Students per teacher
17
- Background
- White 67%, Hispanic 7%, Black 7%, Asian 8%, Two or more 5%, International 5%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 17,503 beds
What do Michigan State graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 741 | $82,941 | $129,493 | $20,382 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 71 | $58,935 | Hidden | $20,500 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Engineering | 89 | $63,187 | $92,014 | $24,276 |
| Chemical Engineering | 167 | $78,729 | $107,278 | $21,500 |
| Civil Engineering | 184 | $71,474 | $94,449 | $20,000 |
| Computer Engineering | 96 | $88,605 | $122,038 | $19,500 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 70 | $78,401 | $96,789 | $20,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 228 | $83,604 | $108,849 | $20,489 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 314 | $73,673 | $100,488 | $19,576 |
| Engineering, General | 189 | $79,320 | $110,378 | $21,500 |
| Engineering, Other | 80 | $61,770 | $87,285 | $20,500 |
| Materials Engineering | 38 | $80,657 | $94,950 | Hidden |
| Mechanical Engineering | 541 | $82,932 | $103,956 | $21,000 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 301 | $65,532 | $102,971 | $19,541 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 886 | $73,822 | $95,446 | $19,500 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 748 | $71,484 | $110,548 | $19,500 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 212 | $54,061 | $71,513 | $20,156 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 205 | $57,996 | $89,270 | $19,500 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 47 | $62,236 | $96,994 | $22,500 |
| Marketing | 512 | $60,083 | $98,841 | $20,750 |
Nursing
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 371 | $80,040 | $83,355 | $22,768 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 0 | Hidden | $55,793 | Hidden |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 140 | $58,623 | $72,967 | $21,500 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 74 | Hidden | Hidden | $23,750 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 76 | $27,940 | $61,088 | $19,188 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 596 | $35,881 | $73,466 | $19,500 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 114 | $60,048 | $75,163 | $15,333 |
| Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs | 9 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Animal Sciences | 273 | $38,523 | $58,676 | $20,954 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 223 | $43,040 | $71,837 | $20,847 |
| Biology, General | 1,108 | $31,266 | $66,166 | $20,459 |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 16 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 83 | $33,317 | $54,178 | $19,500 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 50 | $54,195 | $62,249 | $20,000 |
| Food Science and Technology | 49 | $60,006 | $79,203 | $27,500 |
| Forestry | 42 | Hidden | $57,392 | Hidden |
| Genetics | 163 | $37,814 | $63,051 | $18,750 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 86 | $36,671 | $70,530 | $18,625 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 172 | $36,007 | $65,111 | $17,250 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 455 | $33,065 | $66,846 | $21,000 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 177 | $31,826 | $67,580 | $20,789 |
| Plant Sciences | 50 | $49,378 | $51,791 | $20,750 |
| Soil Sciences | 44 | $56,925 | $72,566 | $12,000 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 40 | $42,510 | $47,451 | $26,500 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | 128 | $32,271 | $51,157 | $20,820 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 225 | $31,386 | $49,991 | $20,500 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | 12 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 54 | $41,394 | Hidden | $18,538 |
| Chemistry | 97 | $46,887 | $65,589 | $18,666 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 35 | $47,521 | $59,807 | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 155 | $50,873 | $74,162 | $20,982 |
| Physical Sciences, General | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Physics | 100 | $52,160 | $72,555 | $24,088 |
| Statistics | 85 | $63,622 | $86,438 | $23,060 |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 32 | Hidden | $66,965 | Hidden |
| English Language and Literature, General | 135 | $32,498 | $57,239 | $16,943 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 19 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 113 | $28,531 | $56,058 | $19,384 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 31 | $23,479 | $63,539 | Hidden |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 18 | Hidden | $92,726 | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 9 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 5 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 39 | $47,809 | $62,128 | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 68 | Hidden | $53,540 | Hidden |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education, General | 234 | $48,981 | $53,555 | $19,500 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 96 | $45,012 | $58,433 | $21,134 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 7 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 62 | Hidden | $53,289 | $17,100 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communications Technologies/Technicians | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Design and Applied Arts | 245 | $42,052 | $54,525 | $18,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 52 | $35,529 | $48,430 | $24,150 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 26 | $27,059 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 50 | $31,909 | $42,617 | Hidden |
| Music | 129 | $44,788 | $50,625 | $23,750 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 68 | Hidden | Hidden | $17,625 |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 24 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Computational Science | 117 | $74,099 | Hidden | $20,300 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 128 | $42,306 | $60,229 | $19,125 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 68 | $36,069 | $53,602 | $18,250 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 75 | $31,431 | $48,648 | $18,392 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 75 | $37,940 | $69,613 | $15,378 |
| Science, Technology and Society | 19 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Sustainability Studies | 66 | $62,210 | Hidden | $24,760 |
Other programs
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 33 | $35,312 | $51,845 | Hidden |
Compare Michigan State with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Michigan State University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences