Florida State vs. Michigan State

Should I go to Florida State University or Michigan State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Florida State or Michigan State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Florida State University vs. Michigan State University comparison
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Florida State University Michigan State University
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Overview

 Florida State Michigan State
Location Tallahassee, FL East Lansing, MI
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 44,161 50,023
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #199 #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fsu.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Florida State Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $4,022 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $16,540 $41,778
Room & Board $11,592 $10,990
Avg Net Price $14,003 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $10,169 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 92%

Admission

 Florida State Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 78,088 53,341
Admitted 19,552 46,914
Acceptance Rate 25% 88%
Enrolled % 30.9% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.72
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/31 25/31
SAT Range 1210/1370 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Florida State Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 Florida State Michigan State
Graduation Rate 74% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,750 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $214 $263

Diversity

 Florida State Michigan State
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 67%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 19% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 13%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Florida State Michigan State
% In-State 85% 71%
% Out-of-State 14% 21%

Campus

 Florida State Michigan State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Michigan State University is larger than than Florida State based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 44,161 students)

Florida State vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida State or Michigan State?

  • Michigan State University is 277.7% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($15,192.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 152.6% higher at Michigan State than Florida State University ($41,778.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than Michigan State ($14,003 vs. $22,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 5.5% lower than costs at Florida State University ($10,990 vs. $11,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than Florida State University (92% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida State University students is 17.1% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($10,169 vs. $8,684)

Florida State vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Florida State or Michigan State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Michigan State or Florida State .

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 56 points higher than at Michigan State (1159)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Michigan State (26)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than Florida State (25%)

Florida State vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida State or Michigan State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Michigan State and Florida State.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than Florida State University (77% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $8,600 more per year than Florida State graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $51,400)
  • Florida State University students graduate with a $4,734 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($20,750 vs. $25,484)
  • Florida State graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($214 vs. $263)
  • More Michigan State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/