Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public · offers Graduate degrees

Small city

85%Acceptance rate
$19,680Average net price / year
81%Graduation rate
$67,253Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$23,250Median debt at graduation
40,922Undergraduates

Cost

In-state tuition & fees
$16,458
Out-of-state tuition
$43,842
Total cost of attendance
$32,198
Room & board
$12,564
Books & supplies
$1,380
Average net price
$19,680

Net price by family income

$0–30k
$7,068
$30–48k
$10,830
$48–75k
$16,521
$75–110k
$22,703
$110k+
$28,546

Official net price calculator

Admissions

Acceptance rate
84.8%
Average SAT
1269
SAT reading (25–75%)
590–680
SAT math (25–75%)
590–680
ACT composite (25–75%)
25–31

Outcomes

Graduation rate
81%
First-year retention
90%
Median earnings (6 yrs)
$55,084
Median earnings (10 yrs)
$67,253
Median debt (graduates)
$23,250
3-year loan default rate
0.0%
Students with Pell grants
20%
Students with federal loans
34%

Programs: what graduates earn

137 of 350 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).

Undergraduate certificate

Bachelor's degree

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Computer and Information Sciences, General372$86,192$22,500
Computer Engineering48$83,934$23,000
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering120$83,874$22,500
Mechanical Engineering279$80,259$23,250
Chemical Engineering104$79,023$25,314
Materials Engineering23$78,276$24,385
Engineering-Related Fields160$76,563$23,375
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing189$75,081$25,000
Engineering, General101$75,058$22,250
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician39$74,518$25,250
Civil Engineering97$72,048$26,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations448$71,253$21,500
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods21$69,443$22,872
Finance and Financial Management Services350$68,103$22,500
Engineering, Other32$67,007$21,848
Accounting and Related Services148$65,965$22,500
Agricultural Engineering49$65,396$28,000
Statistics56$63,649$23,625
Food Science and Technology29$59,342$25,000
Marketing255$57,275$22,250
Agricultural Business and Management55$57,023$21,500
Human Resources Management and Services104$56,501$23,250
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics7$55,691$23,000
Economics274$54,013$22,231
Soil Sciences19$50,770$19,500
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy30$48,967$20,500
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management38$48,185$22,375
Mathematics86$47,951$19,250
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions68$47,202$26,000
Social Sciences, General84$46,206$28,090
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication444$45,158$22,605
Education, General156$44,705$26,000
Public Policy Analysis19$43,005$25,822
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians23$41,400—
Animal Sciences140$41,292$25,023
Hospitality Administration/Management114$41,069$21,815
Criminal Justice and Corrections232$40,390$25,000
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences24$39,997$28,869
Chemistry62$39,531$26,750
Political Science and Government126$39,514$21,500
Forestry23$39,178$29,362
International Relations and National Security Studies110$38,810$23,750
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology39$38,726$26,625
Music71$38,656$26,750
International/Globalization Studies67$38,410$26,000
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology102$38,243$22,125
Natural Resources Conservation and Research84$37,170$23,080
Journalism115$36,912$23,547
Design and Applied Arts110$36,784$26,997
Communication and Media Studies348$36,390$25,250
Plant Sciences23$35,701$22,550
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics34$35,658$27,000
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management18$35,343$23,250
Sociology152$35,055$25,845
Social Work57$34,089$24,432
Non-Professional Legal Studies114$33,752$24,753
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies25$33,401$24,360
Physics57$33,400$27,000
Astronomy and Astrophysics24$33,373—
History64$32,434$25,025
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services80$31,434$28,195
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities38$30,916$27,000
Psychology, General496$30,164$23,630
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences115$29,642$22,759
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology35$29,318$25,000
English Language and Literature, General64$28,927$24,966
Nutrition Sciences40$28,759$23,170
Anthropology33$28,617$27,750
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness298$28,045$24,580
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics15$27,856$21,290
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management69$27,762$28,332
Neurobiology and Neurosciences247$27,183$24,232
Zoology/Animal Biology118$26,801$25,000
Genetics81$26,713$25,000
Biology, General516$26,435$25,175
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other29$26,133$26,130
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services39$25,301$22,375
Fine and Studio Arts25$19,566$27,875
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft24$17,328$22,185
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning—$71,158—
Special Education and Teaching49$43,875$26,375
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas31$50,127$25,375
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services11$65,667$24,915
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics10$75,147—
Geography and Cartography27$50,083—
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions0$51,658$25,250

Master's degree

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Business/Commerce, General112$133,992$78,686
Computer and Information Sciences, General34$120,834—
Business Administration, Management and Operations214$117,756$51,250
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing10$104,677$48,355
Human Resources Management and Services51$99,526$41,000
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods201$96,585$30,375
Pharmacology and Toxicology47$93,234$40,900
Food Science and Technology55$92,232$28,404
Marketing74$81,245$30,719
Criminal Justice and Corrections18$75,435$27,518
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication55$69,257$32,500
Accounting and Related Services0$68,666$29,004
Public Health44$66,933$50,523
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other57$66,517$30,750
Educational Administration and Supervision19$63,355$26,702
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas43$60,244—
Educational/Instructional Media Design18$59,562$24,608
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services32$57,845$51,250
Special Education and Teaching27$57,308$30,668
Curriculum and Instruction65$56,851$27,450
Education, General22$53,417$30,750
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions167$53,352$51,024
Public Policy Analysis18$52,813—
Student Counseling and Personnel Services14$52,282—
Social Work19$51,191$53,886
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness8$46,512—
Music57$42,484$30,158
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication18$45,737—
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering31$126,212—
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services2$59,805—
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology15$74,956—
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions8$65,302—

Doctoral degree

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Educational Administration and Supervision18$82,912—
Physics27$80,184—
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology5$71,750—
Curriculum and Instruction19$71,106—
Chemistry28$65,530—
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology22$76,183—
Anthropology4$72,767—
Music51$46,553—

First professional degree

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Veterinary Medicine112$100,429$177,857
Law231$67,554$103,630
Medicine463$62,864$251,502
Educational Administration and Supervision—$97,714—

Graduate certificate

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Educational/Instructional Media Design44$58,400$32,079
Educational Administration and Supervision6$51,542—
Public Health3$74,076—

Students

Undergraduates
40,922
Graduate students
12,374
Part-time
6%
Women / men
52% / 48%
White
67%
Hispanic
7%
Black
7%
Asian
8%
International
5%

Faculty & school

Student–faculty ratio
17:1
Avg faculty salary
$121,212 / year
Full-time faculty
86%
Accreditor
Higher Learning Commission
Website
www.msu.edu
Also known as
MSU|Spartans|MI State University|State|MI State U

Most popular fields

  • Agriculture – 5% of degrees
  • Communication & Journalism – 11% of degrees
  • Computer & Information Sciences – 6% of degrees
  • Engineering – 8% of degrees
  • Biological Sciences – 13% of degrees
  • Interdisciplinary Studies – 2% of degrees

Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at Michigan State University?

84.8% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1269 on the SAT.

How much does Michigan State University cost?

The average net price after grants is $19,680 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $16,458 and the full cost of attendance is $32,198.

How much do Michigan State University graduates earn?

Students who enrolled earn a median of $67,253 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.

What is the graduation rate?

81% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.

Other colleges in East Lansing

CollegeNet priceAcceptanceGraduationEarnings
Douglas J Aveda Institute
East Lansing, MI · Private for-profit · 777 students
$25,357—83%$26,849
Protege Academy
East Lansing, MI · Private for-profit · 72 students
$12,179—78%$19,499

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.