Michigan State University

Michigan State University Overview

Michigan State University is a public, state school in a suburban setting in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State was founded in 1855 and now enrolls around 49,695 students a year, including 38,491 undergrads. Michigan State provides on-campus housing for up to 16,500 students. The majority of students live on campus, and first year-students are required to live in campus housing. On the weekends, about 50% of students stay on-campus and participate in campus events and social life.

There are many ways for students to get involved at Michigan State! Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of Michigan State's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? Michigan State students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Thinking of pledging? Michigan State has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? Michigan State has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Michigan State on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at Michigan State on the Student Life page.

Is Michigan State a Good School?

There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how selective a school is, but they don't say much about the quality of the education or the student experience. There are a few statistics that can give you a good idea of how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its students.

Let's take a look at each of these factors to get a clearer sense of what Michigan State offers and if it might be a good choice for you.

Michigan State Acceptance Rate 2021

It is moderately difficult to get into Michigan State. Michigan State admitted 76% of all applicants in 2021. Out of 45,426 applications received in 2021, 34,663 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Michigan State

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at Michigan State, around 92% come back the next year. Michigan State's six-year graduation rate for undergrads is 82%. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outcomes for Michigan State Grads

Job placement statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers.

Check with Michigan State directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Michigan State's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. As of 2021, the total market value of the school endowment was $3.3 billion. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Michigan State

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. Michigan State meets 53% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend Michigan State full-time are awarded $16,433 a year in financial aid, on average.

In 2020, students graduated with an average of $31,393 in student loans for each student with debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA early. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Michigan State. Based on this information, how does Michigan State sound? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may be a terrible fit for someone else! So ask yourself: Is Michigan State a good school for you?

If Michigan State University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Choose one of the options below to learn more about Michigan State:

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Where is Michigan State?

Michigan State is located in the suburban setting of East Lansing, Michigan, less than an hour from Detroit.

If you want to see Michigan State for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 96 and Interstate 69 to East Lansing, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Capital Region International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Michigan State and East Lansing are like without leaving home.

Considering Colleges and Universities in Michigan?

See a full list of colleges in Michigan and save your favorites to your college list.