Michigan State University

https://www.msu.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$15,555

0% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$16,655

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

2.67%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

76.3%

45,426 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

49,695

86.5% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

81.5%

6,321 Graduates

About

Michigan State University is a higher education institution located in Ingham County, MI. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Michigan State University were Advertising (517 degrees awarded), General Biological Sciences (412 degrees), and Logistics, Materials, & Supply Chain Management (386 degrees).

In 2020, 13,443 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Michigan State University. 54% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 46% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (9,180 degrees), 11.5 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (798 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Michigan State University is $15,555, which is $−13,008 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Photo by John Martinez Pavliga

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Michigan State University is $15,555, which is $−13,008 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,655.

In 2020, 60% of undergraduate students attending Michigan State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 40% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$15,555

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Michigan State University was $15,555. The cost of tuition at Michigan State University is $−13,008 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Michigan State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$16,655

2020 Value

0.458%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Michigan State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,655. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Michigan State University grew by 0.458%.

This chart compares the average net price of Michigan State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,522

Room and Board

$1,108

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Michigan State University was of $10,522 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,108. The cost of room and board increased by 1.94% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Michigan State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

60%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

40%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

60% of undergraduate students at Michigan State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 11.1% with respect to 2019, when 54% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Michigan State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2.67%

2018 Default Rate

215

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Michigan State University was 2.67%, which represents 215 out of the 8044 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Michigan State University received 45,426 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 2.49% annual growth. Out of those 45,426 applicants, 34,663 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 76.3% acceptance rate.

There were 49,695 students enrolled at Michigan State University in 2020, and 80% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Michigan State University has an overall enrollment yield of 24.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

76.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

34,663

Accepted Out of 45,426

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Michigan State University was 76.3% (34,663 admissions from 45,426 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 71.1%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 2.49%, while admissions grew by 9.96%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Michigan State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

80%

Submission Percentage

6,697

Scores Submitted

80% of enrolled first-time students at Michigan State University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Michigan State University has a total enrollment of 49,695 students. The full-time enrollment at Michigan State University is 43,005 students and the part-time enrollment is 6,690. This means that 86.5% of students enrolled at Michigan State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Michigan State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 66.5% White, 7.19% Black or African American, 6.53% Asian, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.34% Two or More Races, 0.252% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0563% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Michigan State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (35%), followed by White Male (32.6%) and Black or African American Female (4.88%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (32.5%), followed by White Male (25.7%) and Black or African American Female (3.71%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

86.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Michigan State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 49,695 students. The full-time enrollment at Michigan State University is 43,005 and the part-time enrollment is 6,690. This means that 86.5% of students enrolled at Michigan State University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Michigan State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Michigan State University was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), Michigan State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Michigan State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
33,051
Black or African American
3,572
Asian
3,244

The enrolled student population at Michigan State University is 66.5% White, 7.19% Black or African American, 6.53% Asian, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.34% Two or More Races, 0.252% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0563% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 690 students (1.39%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 1071 more women than men received degrees from Michigan State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Michigan State University is white (9,180 degrees awarded). There were 11.5 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (798 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Michigan State University is Advertising (517 degrees awarded), followed by General Biological Sciences (412 degrees) and Logistics, Materials, & Supply Chain Management (386 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Michigan State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Agriculture (536 degrees awarded), Communications (1,219 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (223 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Physicians

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Michigan State University are Physicians (386,522 people), Other managers (251,130 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (174,206 people), Postsecondary teachers (155,288 people), and Registered nurses (99,965 people).

The most specialized majors at Michigan State University are Agriculture (536 degrees awarded), Communications (1,219 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (223 degrees), Biology (1,246 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (396 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Michigan State University are Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Surgeons, Physicians, Nurse anesthetists, and Chief executives & legislators

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Michigan State University are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (534,682 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (411,048 people), Elementary & secondary schools (379,943 people), Offices of physicians (196,866 people), and Computer Systems Design (142,761 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Michigan State University.

Most Common

Advertising
517 degree-majorss awarded
General Biological Sciences
412 degree-majorss awarded
Logistics, Materials, & Supply Chain Management
386 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Michigan State University was Advertising with 517 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Michigan State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

6,186

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

7,257

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 6,186 degrees were awarded to men at Michigan State University, which is 0.852 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (7,257).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Michigan State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 314 degrees were awarded to men at Michigan State University in General Finance, which is 3.34 times more than the 94 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 324 degrees were awarded to women at Michigan State University in General Psychology, which is 3.38 times more than the 96 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

53%

100% Completion Time

80%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 53% of students graduating from Michigan State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 80% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 82% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (90%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Michigan State University is Female and Asian (90% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.696% of graduates (44 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
9,180 degrees awarded
Black or African American
798 degrees awarded
Asian
679 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Michigan State University is white (9,180 degrees awarded). There were 11.5 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (798 degrees).

1.21% of degree recipients (163 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
4,985 degrees awarded
White Male
4,195 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
530 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Michigan State University is white female (4,985 degrees awarded). There were 1.19 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (4,195 degrees).

Operations

Michigan State University has an endowment valued at nearly $3.47B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $167M (4.79%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Michigan State University had a total salary expenditure of $2.84B. Michigan State University employs 797 Professors, 702 Assistant professors, and 617 Associate professors. Most academics at Michigan State University are Male Professors (578), Female Assistant professors(365), and Male Assistant professors (337).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Michigan State University are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 1344 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 1170 employees, and Management with 948 employees.

Endowment

$3.47B

2020 Endowment

1.15%

growth from 2019

Michigan State University has an endowment valued at about $3.47B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Michigan State University grew 1.15% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $3.17B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Michigan State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$375M - Federal
$18.2M - State
$10.1M - Local

As of 2020, Michigan State University received $375M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $18.2M from state grants and contracts, and $10.1M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$1.28B

2020 Salaries

3.83%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Michigan State University paid a median of $1.28B in salaries, which represents 45.1% of their overall expenditure ($2.84B) and a 3.83% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.02% growth from 2018 and a 4.38% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$283M

Instructional Salaries

2,493

Number of Employees

In 2020, Michigan State University paid a total of $283M to 2,493 employees working as instructors, which represents 22.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

797 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1344 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Michigan State University were Professor with 797 employees; Assistant professor with 702 employees; and Assistant professor with 617 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Michigan State University were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,344 employees; Business and Financial Operations with 1,170 employees; and Management with 948 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Michigan State University was Male Professor with 578 employees, Female Assistant professor with 365 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 337 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Michigan State University.