Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $32,198. College Scorecard.
Net price by family income
Average after grants and scholarships for Michigan residents receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year
Sticker price, line by line
| Per year, living on campus | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $16,458 | $43,842 |
| Housing & meals | $11,754 | $11,754 |
| Books & supplies | $1,334 | $1,334 |
| Personal & travel | $3,592 | $3,592 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$940 | −$940 |
| Total cost of attendance | $32,198 | $59,582 |
Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two. Out-of-state total = in-state total with out-of-state tuition.
Debt after graduation
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Who gets aid
College Scorecard
Need-based and merit aid at MSU
What MSU reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.
If you qualify for need-based aid
If you don't qualify for need-based aid
Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
MSU net price compared with other Michigan colleges
MSU has the 35th-lowest average net price of 48 Michigan colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Davenport University | $17,707 | 57% | $45,099 |
| 32 | Madonna University | $17,755 | 60% | $59,058 |
| 33 | Kalamazoo College | $19,072 | 76% | $65,590 |
| 34 | Spring Arbor University | $19,353 | 64% | $51,732 |
| 35 | Michigan State University | $19,680 | 81% | $67,253 |
| 36 | Cornerstone University | $20,301 | 62% | $47,314 |
| 37 | Alma College | $20,694 | 63% | $54,742 |
| 38 | The University of Olivet | $21,393 | 35% | $47,907 |
| 39 | Rochester University | $21,456 | 44% | $48,707 |
College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Michigan colleges →
Why MSU costs more or less than similar schools
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | 85% | $19,680 | 81% | $67,253 | This school |
| Grand Valley State University | 83% | $16,317 | 67% | $56,118 | |
| Western Michigan University | 85% | $15,273 | 58% | $53,562 | |
| Wayne State University | 81% | $12,766 | 58% | $53,493 | |
| Oakland University | 88% | $9,120 | 58% | $58,612 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Michigan State University would cost you $3,363 more per year than Grand Valley State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Michigan State University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$1,318).
- Michigan State University gives aided families $468 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Michigan resident | MSU | GVSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $16,458 | $15,140 | +$1,318 |
| Books & supplies | $1,334 | $780 | +$554 |
| Housing & meals | $11,754 | $11,142 | +$612 |
| Personal & travel | $3,592 | $2,477 | +$1,115 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$940 | −$1,172 | +$232 |
| Sticker price | $32,198 | $28,367 | +$3,831 |
| Average grants | −$12,518 | −$12,050 | −$468 |
| You pay | $19,680 | $16,317 | +$3,363 |
“+” means MSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
MSU cost questions
How much is tuition at MSU?
Tuition and fees are $16,458 a year for Michigan residents and $43,842 for out-of-state students.
What is the total cost of attending MSU?
The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $32,198 a year for Michigan residents living on campus and about $59,582 for out-of-state students.
What do families actually pay at MSU?
After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $19,680 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $7,068; $48–75k pay $16,521; $110k+ pay $28,546. These figures are for Michigan residents.
Does MSU give merit scholarships?
For fall 2025, 764 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from Michigan State University, averaging $11,014 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 61% of it met on average.
How much debt do MSU graduates have?
The median federal loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and 2.6% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Michigan State University overview