# Michigan State University (MSU)

Public college in East Lansing, MI. IPEDS ID 171100.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/michigan-state-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 85% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $19,680 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 81%; beats 96% of MI colleges and 90% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $67,253; beats 88% of MI colleges and 82% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $19,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,068 |
| 30-48k | $10,830 |
| 48-75k | $16,521 |
| 75-110k | $22,703 |
| 110k+ | $28,546 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, in-state. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.24 years on average (65% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $67,253 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,068 | $29,968 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | 1.4 years |
| 48-75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 2.1 years |
| 75-110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 2.8 years |
| 110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 3.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $32,198 in-state; about $59,582 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $16,458 in-state, $43,842 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $11,754; books: $1,334

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 590–680; SAT math: 590–680; ACT: 25–31 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 58,879 applicants, 49,414 admitted, 9,533 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 85%, ACT 25–31 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 84%, ACT 26–31 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: gpa; important: rigor, essay, extracurriculars; considered: test scores, interview, talent, character, first generation, volunteer, work experience, interest
- Early decision: not reported; early action: not reported; waitlist: yes
- Aid (full-time first-years): average 61% of need met; 529 of 3881 with need fully met; merit aid to students without need: 764 students, average $11,014
- Source: https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/michiganstab57e-msustrategi129d-prod9868-7e5e/media/project/msu/ir/docs/cds/cds-2025-2026.pdf

## Majors (105 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $86,192 | $116,905 | $24,022 |
| Computer Engineering | $83,934 | $104,627 | $24,999 |
| Engineering | $75,058 | $102,301 | $22,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | $79,023 | $102,223 | $26,573 |
| Finance | $68,103 | $102,017 | $23,250 |
| Electrical Engineering | $83,874 | $100,481 | $22,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $80,259 | $97,946 | $24,000 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $69,443 | $97,236 | $23,250 |
| Accounting | $65,965 | $96,093 | $23,250 |
| Materials Engineering | $78,276 | $95,761 | $27,925 |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $74,518 | $95,387 | $25,363 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $76,563 | $94,143 | $23,756 |
| Statistics | $63,649 | $93,930 | $25,625 |
| Business Administration | $71,253 | $91,187 | $23,250 |
| Civil Engineering | $72,048 | $90,650 | $27,000 |
| Marketing | $57,275 | $90,453 | $23,896 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $65,396 | $86,498 | $28,000 |
| Human Resources | $56,501 | $85,886 | $23,475 |
| Nursing | $75,081 | $80,129 | $28,500 |
| Engineering, Other | $67,007 | $79,609 | $22,875 |
| Economics | $54,013 | $79,428 | $24,250 |
| Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | $75,147 | not reported |
| International Relations | $38,810 | $74,709 | $24,766 |
| Information Technology | $48,185 | $73,880 | $23,442 |
| Legal Studies / Paralegal | $33,752 | $72,414 | $24,753 |
| Mathematics | $47,951 | $72,226 | $21,500 |
| City / Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | not reported | $71,158 | not reported |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $47,202 | $70,940 | $27,000 |
| Food Science and Technology | $59,342 | $70,380 | $25,000 |
| Hospitality Management | $41,069 | $69,651 | $22,625 |
| Public Relations and Advertising | $45,158 | $69,300 | $23,899 |
| Agricultural Business | $57,023 | $69,108 | $24,125 |
| Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy | $48,967 | $68,913 | $21,755 |
| Soil Sciences | $50,770 | $67,666 | $21,859 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $28,045 | $67,290 | $26,000 |
| Political Science | $39,514 | $67,032 | $22,576 |
| Nutrition Science | $28,759 | $66,437 | $25,000 |
| Chemistry | $39,531 | $65,983 | $28,481 |
| Linguistics | not reported | $65,667 | $24,915 |
| International / Global Studies | $38,410 | $64,372 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $26,435 | $64,018 | $26,849 |
| Biochemistry | $38,243 | $63,419 | $22,774 |
| Criminal Justice | $40,390 | $62,715 | $26,000 |
| Geology / Earth Science | $39,997 | $62,448 | $29,869 |
| Sociology | $35,055 | $62,204 | $26,985 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $38,726 | $61,953 | $29,301 |
| Physiology | $29,642 | $61,309 | $23,384 |
| Communications | $36,390 | $60,807 | $26,750 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $37,170 | $60,728 | $23,750 |
| Journalism | $36,912 | $59,498 | $24,985 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $35,658 | $59,315 | $28,000 |
| Dietetics | $25,301 | $58,989 | $24,750 |
| Social Sciences | $46,206 | $58,797 | $29,198 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $43,005 | $58,535 | $26,337 |
| Special Education | not reported | $58,522 | $26,375 |
| Neuroscience | $27,183 | $58,046 | $25,020 |
| Social Work | $34,089 | $57,321 | $26,169 |
| Writing | $33,401 | $56,662 | $25,750 |
| Geography | not reported | $56,515 | not reported |
| Psychology | $30,164 | $56,040 | $25,250 |
| Forestry | $39,178 | $55,724 | $31,000 |
| Genetics | $26,713 | $55,404 | $25,125 |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | $29,318 | $55,159 | $26,500 |
| Animal Sciences | $41,292 | $54,751 | $26,000 |
| Human Development and Family Studies | $31,434 | $53,740 | $29,750 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $36,784 | $53,250 | $28,175 |
| German | $55,691 | $53,183 | $23,000 |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | $27,856 | $52,496 | $20,620 |
| Education | $44,705 | $52,243 | $27,000 |
| Music | $38,656 | $52,132 | $26,750 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | $51,658 | $27,422 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $30,916 | $51,436 | $27,312 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | $50,127 | $27,437 |
| Studio Art | $19,566 | $50,098 | $30,875 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $27,762 | $49,948 | $28,425 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $35,343 | $49,377 | $24,939 |
| English | $28,927 | $49,154 | $25,443 |
| Plant Sciences | $35,701 | $47,404 | $24,250 |
| History | $32,434 | $47,224 | $27,000 |
| Veterinary / Animal Health Technologies / Technicians | $41,400 | $46,669 | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $26,133 | $45,167 | $26,130 |
| Theatre | $17,328 | $42,820 | $22,250 |
| Zoology / Animal Biology | $26,801 | $41,768 | $27,000 |
| Anthropology | $28,617 | $41,512 | $28,084 |
| Agriculture / Veterinary Preparatory Programs | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Landscape Architecture | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Botany / Plant Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Applied Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Science, Technology and Society | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computational Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Sustainability Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physical Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | $33,373 | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | $33,400 | not reported | $27,000 |
| Public Administration | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Visual and Performing Arts | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Film and Photography | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Public Relations and Advertising → Public relations specialist: median wage $71,550 (Lansing-East Lansing, MI), $65,300 (MI), $74,750 (U.S.)
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage $80,580 (Lansing-East Lansing, MI), $93,640 (MI), $101,860 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).