Michigan State vs. Purdue

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

Michigan State Purdue
Location East Lansing, MI West Lafayette, IN
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 51,316 52,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #227 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msu.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Michigan State Purdue
Tuition (In State) $15,648 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $43,032 $28,520
Room & Board $11,754 $11,650
Avg Net Price $24,630 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $8,147 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 39%

Admission

Michigan State Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,879 73,083
Admitted 49,414 36,763
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 50.3%
Enrolled % 19.3% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 27/34
SAT Range 1150/1350 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

Michigan State Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Michigan State Purdue
Graduation Rate 77% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,000 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,484 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $263 $222

Diversity

Michigan State Purdue
% Men 9% 15%
% Women 12% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 65%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 13% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Michigan State Purdue
% In-State 76% 46%
% Out-of-State 18% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Michigan State based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 51,316 students)

Michigan State vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Michigan State or Purdue?

  • Michigan State University is 61% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($15,648.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.9% higher at Michigan State than Purdue University Main Campus ($43,032.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Michigan State ($12,421 vs. $24,630)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 0.9% lower than costs at Michigan State University ($11,650 vs. $11,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than Purdue University Main Campus (96% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students is 36.6% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($11,126 vs. $8,147)

Michigan State vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 72 points higher than at Michigan State (1159)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Michigan State (26)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Purdue (50.3%)

Michigan State vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Michigan State or Purdue? 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 Purdue and Michigan State.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (77% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $1,200 more per year than Michigan State graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $60,000)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $3,984 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,484)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($222 vs. $263)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 68%)

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