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East Lansing, MI · Detroit, MI
| Michigan State University | Wayne State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $19,680/yr | $12,766/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,068/yr | $11,090/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $23,250 | $21,250 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $10,830/yr | $10,721/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $16,521/yr | $12,068/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $22,703/yr | $14,828/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $28,546/yr | $19,862/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $246/mo | $225/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $12,564/yr | $14,252/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,564/yr | $14,252/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,380/yr | $1,360/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,838/yr | $4,314/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $32,198/yr | $27,350/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $16,458/yr | $15,190/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $43,842/yr | $32,037/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 20% | 46% |
| Students taking federal loans | 34% | 38% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 85% | 81% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1180–1360 | 1060–1270 |
| SAT average | 1269 | 1156 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 25–31 | 23–29 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 24–32 · Math 24–29 | English 21–29 · Math 22–27 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 58,879 | 15,190 |
| Students accepted | 49,414 | 12,461 |
| Students who enrolled | 9,533 | 2,988 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 19% | 24% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 39% | 44% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 7% | 4% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Not considered | Required |
| Essay | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 81% | 58% |
| Freshmen who come back | 90% | 83% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $67,253/yr | $53,493/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $46,010–$96,911 | $29,797–$79,117 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 82% | 61% |
| White students graduating | 84% | 63% |
| Black students graduating | 68% | 37% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 72% | 46% |
| Asian students graduating | 83% | 74% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $55,084/yr | $45,207/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 82% | 70% |
| Graduate on time | 63% | 36% |
| Pell students who graduate | 71% | 52% |
| First-gen students who finish | 75% | 43% |
| Low-income students who finish | 71% | 42% |
| Students who transfer out | 11% | 21% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $62,777/yr | $50,384/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 13% · Communication & Journalism 11% | Business, Management & Marketing 22% · Health Professions 15% · Psychology 9% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 15% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 22% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 13% of degrees | Health Professions — 15% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 11% of degrees | Psychology — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Engineering — 8% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 6% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Social Sciences — 8% of degrees | Engineering — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business/Commerce, General — $133,992/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $128,146/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 30% | 21% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 40,922 | 15,587 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 14 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 10,855 | 7,791 |
| Average professor pay | $13,468/mo | $12,166/mo |
| Full-time professors | 86% | 58% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $70,982 | $28,606 |
| Setting | City (small) | City (large) |
| Location | East Lansing, MI | Detroit, MI |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1855 | 1868 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 5% | 2.2% |
| Men | 48% | 41% |
| Women | 52% | 59% |
| White students | 67% | 53% |
| Black students | 6.6% | 18% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 6.7% | 7.8% |
| Asian students | 7.9% | 14% |
| Two or more races | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Other / not reported | 2.2% | 0.7% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 21% | 38% |
| Part-time students | 6.2% | 19% |
| Students age 25+ | 1.8% | 15% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $19,397/yr | $14,651/yr |
| Endowment | $5.0B | $602.4M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 17,503 | 3,216 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $4,854/yr | $7,008/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,900/yr | $4,600/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | No | Yes |
| 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 II with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 19 | 16 |
| Student athletes | 665 | 394 |
| Athletic scholarships | $19.5M | $5.2M |
| Athletics budget | $160.7M | $16.1M |
| Athletics revenue | $160.7M | $16.1M |
| Recruiting spend | $2.9M | $70,194 |
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, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.