Acceptance Rate
85%
Avg. SAT
1360
75th percentile
“The green-blooded giant where Big Ten roars fuel land-grant innovation and endless undergrad energy.”
East Lansing, MI
Location
Small City
Campus Setting
You step onto Michigan State University's 5,200-acre expanse, the largest single-campus university in the country, and feel the pulse of its 1855 roots as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan—the prototype for America's land-grant universities blending practical education with public service. Spartans thrive here if you crave scale: outgoing team players who dive into massive classes, cheer rabidly at football games, and chase hands-on projects in agribusiness or packaging design. The school's personality radiates unpretentious Midwestern grit—think flannel-clad professors debating crop yields over coffee—fostered in East Lansing, a compact college town of 50,000 where bars buzz with green-and-white fervor and the local economy orbits MSU like a satellite. Tradeoffs hit hard in winter's bone-chilling grip, when -20°F temps test your resolve, and the sheer size means you'll navigate bus routes instead of strolling to every class.
Photo Gallery
+33
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Available Online
Degree Levels Offered
In MSU's classrooms, you'll encounter professors who trade lecture halls for labs, like those in the top-ranked College of Agriculture and Natural Resources where you engineer drought-resistant crops or dissect ecosystems at the 4,000-acre Kellogg Biological Station. The student-faculty ratio hovers at 17:1 amid 41,000 undergrads, so expect spirited discussions in honors seminars like Lyman Briggs College's science-focused living-learning community, but brace for 300-person intro lectures where TAs bridge the gap. Research beckons early—over 6,000 undergrads join projects yearly in niches like the world's only School of Packaging, designing everything from beer cans to medical devices. The intellectual culture rewards doers over debaters; it's less ivory tower, more applied hustle, though the breadth dilutes depth in some majors compared to smaller peers.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
41,234 undergrad • 10,855 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
64%
Black / African American
6%
Hispanic / Latino
6%
Asian
8%
Other / Multi-racial
15%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
East Lansing, MI
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week at MSU swings from Monday study grinds in the undergrad library's 24/7 thrum to Friday tailgates where 75,000 pack Spartan Stadium, camping on O'Rourke Street for prime seats. You'll bunk in one of 27 residence halls or themed Residential Colleges, like Justin Morrill College blending dorm life with sustainability seminars, fostering bonds amid the chaos of 800+ clubs—from quidditch to the 350-member Spartan Marching Band. Greek life claims 20% of students, fueling parties that earned its rowdy rep, but you'll also find quiet hikes on the Red Cedar River trails. The vibe pulses with inclusive energy—diverse crowds from Michigan farms to urban transplants—but the sprawl overwhelms introverts, and those endless gray winters cabin-fever you indoors.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Big Ten Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
Yes
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Dedicated point of contact for veteran support services
Yes
Recognized student veteran organization
Yes
Member of DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
90%
4 Years Graduation Rate
66%
6 Years Graduation Rate
84%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$67,253
90% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Michigan State University and return in the fall. 66% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 84% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
66%
4-5 years
18%
6-8 years
1%
Non-grad
15%
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Key Statistics
Type
Public
Tuition
$16,437
Acceptance
85%
Undergrads
41,234
4-Year Grad Rate
66%
Endowment
$4.6B
East Lansing, MI 48824-1046