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Michigan State University
Most applicants get into Michigan State University — 84.8% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
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Michigan State University sits in East Lansing proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Computer and Information Sciences, General, where graduates median $116,905 four years out. Faculty pay averages $161,616 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 40,922 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 90% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1150 and 1350 — above the MI middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Michigan State University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
You can apply to Michigan State University without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 1150 and 1350; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 580 | 630 | 670 |
| SAT Math | 570 | 620 | 680 |
| ACT Composite | 26 | 28 | 31 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Michigan State University received 58,879 applications and admitted 49,414 (83.9%), with 9,533 enrolling.
How Michigan State University compares
| Michigan State University | Michigan median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 84.8% | 79.6% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $16,458 | $24,944 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $67,253 | $54,739 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Michigan State University student earns $67,253 — 23% above the Michigan median of $54,739 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, Michigan State University prices by residency: $16,458 in-state versus $43,842 out-of-state — a $27,384 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
40,922 undergraduates make Michigan State University a large campus: broad course catalogs and big intro lectures come as a package.
80.7% of Michigan State University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 25.9 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $16,458 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Michigan State University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $116,905 |
| Computer Engineering | $104,627 |
| Engineering, General | $102,301 |
| Chemical Engineering | $102,223 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $102,017 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $100,481 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $97,946 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $97,236 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $96,093 |
| Materials Engineering | $95,761 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | $95,387 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $94,143 |
| Statistics | $93,930 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $91,187 |
| Civil Engineering | $90,650 |
| Marketing | $90,453 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $86,498 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $85,886 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $80,129 |
| Engineering, Other | $79,609 |
| Economics | $79,428 |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $75,147 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $74,709 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $73,880 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $72,414 |
| Mathematics | $72,226 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | $71,158 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $70,940 |
| Food Science and Technology | $70,380 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $69,651 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $69,300 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $69,108 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $68,913 |
| Soil Sciences | $67,666 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $67,290 |
| Political Science and Government | $67,032 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $66,437 |
| Chemistry | $65,983 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $65,667 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $64,372 |
| Biology, General | $64,018 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $63,419 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $62,715 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $62,448 |
| Sociology | $62,204 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $61,953 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $61,309 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $60,807 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $60,728 |
| Journalism | $59,498 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $59,315 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $58,989 |
| Social Sciences, General | $58,797 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $58,535 |
| Special Education and Teaching | $58,522 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $58,046 |
| Social Work | $57,321 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $56,662 |
| Geography and Cartography | $56,515 |
| Psychology, General | $56,040 |
| Forestry | $55,724 |
| Genetics | $55,404 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $55,159 |
| Animal Sciences | $54,751 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $53,740 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $53,250 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $53,183 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $52,496 |
| Education, General | $52,243 |
| Music | $52,132 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $51,658 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $51,436 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $50,127 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $50,098 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $49,948 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $49,377 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $49,154 |
| Plant Sciences | $47,404 |
| History | $47,224 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | $46,669 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $45,167 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $42,820 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $41,768 |
| Anthropology | $41,512 |
Median earnings for these 84 Michigan State University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $67,253 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 21 additional Michigan State University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Michigan State University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1150–1350 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 84.8% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Michigan State University's acceptance rate?
83.9% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 49,414 admitted from 58,879 applicants.
How much does Michigan State University cost?
In-state tuition is $16,458; out-of-state students pay $43,842. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Michigan State University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $67,253 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Michigan
- University of Michigan-Flint — 70.5% admitted
- Madonna University — 63.4% admitted
- Northern Michigan University — 84% admitted
- Northwood University — 64.5% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.