Michigan State vs. Penn State

Should I go to Michigan State University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Michigan State or Penn 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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Michigan State University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Michigan State University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Michigan State University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 Michigan State Penn State
Location East Lansing, MI University Park, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 51,316 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #227 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Michigan State Penn State
Tuition (In State) $15,648 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $43,032 $39,626
Room & Board $11,754 $13,030
Avg Net Price $24,630 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $8,147 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 36%

Admission

 Michigan State Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,879 85,956
Admitted 49,414 46,605
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 54.2%
Enrolled % 19.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 27/32
SAT Range 1150/1350 1220/1400
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Michigan State Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Michigan State Penn State
Graduation Rate 77% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,484 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $263 $277

Diversity

 Michigan State Penn State
% Men 9% 8%
% Women 12% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 13% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Michigan State Penn State
% In-State 76% 51%
% Out-of-State 18% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Michigan State University is larger than than Penn State based on total student enrollment (51,316 students vs. 50,399 students)

Michigan State vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Main Campus is 25.7% more expensive to attend than Michigan State for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.6% higher at Michigan State than Penn State Main Campus ($43,032.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Michigan State University than Penn State ($24,630 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 10.9% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,754 vs. $13,030)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 42.1% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($11,577 vs. $8,147)

Michigan State vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 43 points higher than at Michigan State (1159)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Michigan State (26)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Penn State (54.2%)

Michigan State vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Michigan State or Penn 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 Penn State and Michigan State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Michigan State University (87% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $4,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Michigan State University students graduate with a $1,334 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,484 vs. $26,818)
  • Michigan State graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($263 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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