Michigan State vs. UM-Dearborn

Should I go to Michigan State University or University of Michigan Dearborn? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Michigan State or UM-Dearborn 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Michigan WSU GVSU Michigan Tech IU Penn State CMU ISU Oakland UIC Purdue Ohio State
Michigan State University vs. University of Michigan Dearborn comparison
Michigan State University University of Michigan Dearborn College 3 College 4
Michigan State University University of Michigan Dearborn
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Michigan State UM-Dearborn
Location East Lansing, MI Dearborn, MI
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 50,023 8,223
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #240 #446
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msu.edu umich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Michigan State UM-Dearborn
Tuition (In State) $15,192 $13,920
Tuition (Out of State) $41,778 $29,184
Room & Board $10,990 $9,048
Avg Net Price $22,803 $12,444
Avg Grant Aid $8,684 $10,761
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 92%

Admission

Michigan State UM-Dearborn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,341 12,026
Admitted 46,914 6,506
Acceptance Rate 88% 54.1%
Enrolled % 21% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31 22/28
SAT Range 1160/1360 1010/1290
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Michigan State UM-Dearborn
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

Michigan State UM-Dearborn
Graduation Rate 77% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,000 $52,800
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,484 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $263 $266

Diversity

Michigan State UM-Dearborn
% Men 47% 55%
% Women 53% 45%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 69%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 13% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Michigan State UM-Dearborn
% In-State 71% 94%
% Out-of-State 21% 4%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Michigan State University is larger than than UM-Dearborn based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 8,223 students)

Michigan State vs. UM-Dearborn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Michigan State or UM-Dearborn?

  • Michigan State University is 9.1% more expensive to attend than UM-Dearborn for in-state tuition ($15,192.00 vs. $13,920.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.2% higher at Michigan State than University of Michigan Dearborn ($41,778.00 vs. $29,184.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan Dearborn than Michigan State ($12,444 vs. $22,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 21.5% lower than costs at Michigan State University ($9,048 vs. $10,990)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University as University of Michigan Dearborn (92% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Michigan Dearborn students is 23.9% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($10,761 vs. $8,684)

Michigan State vs. UM-Dearborn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 54 points higher than at UM-Dearborn (1105)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UM-Dearborn (24)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at UM-Dearborn (3.66)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than UM-Dearborn (54.1%)

Michigan State vs. UM-Dearborn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Michigan State or UM-Dearborn? 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 UM-Dearborn and Michigan State.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than University of Michigan Dearborn (77% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $7,200 more per year than UM-Dearborn graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $52,800)
  • Michigan State University students graduate with a $266 lower median federal student loan debt than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($25,484 vs. $25,750)
  • Michigan State graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($263 vs. $266)
  • More Michigan State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 46%)

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