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Mount Pleasant, MI · East Lansing, MI
| Central Michigan University | Michigan State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $17,597/yr | $19,680/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $12,185/yr | $7,068/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $27,000 | $23,250 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $12,139/yr | $10,830/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $13,601/yr | $16,521/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $16,269/yr | $22,703/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $21,403/yr | $28,546/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $286/mo | $246/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $12,564/yr | $12,564/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $9,053/yr | $12,564/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,250/yr | $1,380/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,850/yr | $3,838/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $30,681/yr | $32,198/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $14,760/yr | $16,458/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $14,760/yr | $43,842/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 31% | 20% |
| Students taking federal loans | 69% | 34% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 90% | 85% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 960–1200 | 1180–1360 |
| SAT average | 1091 | 1269 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 21–27 | 25–31 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 20–27 · Math 19–27 | English 24–32 · Math 24–29 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 18,102 | 58,879 |
| Students accepted | 16,474 | 49,414 |
| Students who enrolled | 2,044 | 9,533 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 12% | 19% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 60% | 39% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 6% | 7% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Not considered |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 59% | 81% |
| Freshmen who come back | 75% | 90% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $55,874/yr | $67,253/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $38,496–$78,697 | $46,010–$96,911 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 62% | 82% |
| White students graduating | 63% | 84% |
| Black students graduating | 40% | 68% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 57% | 72% |
| Asian students graduating | 59% | 83% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $46,567/yr | $55,084/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 75% | 82% |
| Graduate on time | 40% | 63% |
| Pell students who graduate | 48% | 71% |
| First-gen students who finish | 58% | 75% |
| Low-income students who finish | 51% | 71% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 11% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $50,848/yr | $62,777/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 21% · Education 13% · Psychology 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 13% · Communication & Journalism 11% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 21% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 15% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Education — 13% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Psychology — 8% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 11% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Public Administration & Social Service — 8% of degrees | Engineering — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 6% of degrees | Social Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $110,012/yr | Business/Commerce, General — $133,992/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 14% | 30% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 10,035 | 40,922 |
| Students per professor | 16 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 4,295 | 10,855 |
| Average professor pay | $10,682/mo | $13,468/mo |
| Full-time professors | 75% | 86% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $57,838 | $70,982 |
| Setting | Town (distant) | City (small) |
| Location | Mount Pleasant, MI | East Lansing, MI |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1892 | 1855 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2.6% | 5% |
| Men | 38% | 48% |
| Women | 62% | 52% |
| White students | 76% | 67% |
| Black students | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 5.8% | 6.7% |
| Asian students | 1.5% | 7.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.9% | 4.5% |
| Other / not reported | 2% | 2.2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 29% | 21% |
| Part-time students | 14% | 6.2% |
| Students age 25+ | 14% | 1.8% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $8,718/yr | $19,397/yr |
| Endowment | $265.4M | $5.0B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 4,640 | 17,503 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $6,062/yr | $4,854/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,116/yr | $6,900/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | No data reported | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | No |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 15 | 19 |
| Student athletes | 468 | 665 |
| Athletic scholarships | $6.7M | $19.5M |
| Athletics budget | $38.5M | $160.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $38.5M | $160.7M |
| Recruiting spend | $531,910 | $2.9M |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.