Michigan State vs. VMI

Should I go to Michigan State University or Virginia Military Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Michigan State or VMI 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 UM-Dearborn UIC Purdue
Michigan State University vs. Virginia Military Institute comparison
Michigan State University Virginia Military Institute College 3 College 4
Michigan State University Virginia Military Institute
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Michigan State VMI
Location East Lansing, MI Lexington, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Rural
Enrollment 51,316 1,560
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #227 #175
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msu.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Michigan State VMI
Tuition (In State) $15,648 $10,076
Tuition (Out of State) $43,032 $40,778
Room & Board $11,754 $10,990
Avg Net Price $24,630 $17,229
Avg Grant Aid $8,147 $13,735
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 81%

Admission

Michigan State VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,879 1,171
Admitted 49,414 957
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 81.7%
Enrolled % 19.3% 49%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 22/28
SAT Range 1150/1350 1040/1260
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Michigan State VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Michigan State VMI
Graduation Rate 77% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,000 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,484 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $263 $258

Diversity

Michigan State VMI
% Men 9% 61%
% Women 12% 9%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 80%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 13% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Michigan State VMI
% In-State 76% 63%
% Out-of-State 18% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Michigan State University is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (51,316 students vs. 1,560 students)

Michigan State vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Michigan State or VMI?

  • Michigan State University is 55.3% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($15,648.00 vs. $10,076.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.5% higher at Michigan State than Virginia Military Institute ($43,032.00 vs. $40,778.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Michigan State ($17,229 vs. $24,630)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 7% lower than costs at Michigan State University ($10,990 vs. $11,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than Virginia Military Institute (96% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 68.6% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($13,735 vs. $8,147)

Michigan State vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 20 points higher than at VMI (1139)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at VMI (25)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at VMI (3.65)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than VMI (81.7%)

Michigan State vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than Virginia Military Institute (77% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $2,100 more per year than Michigan State graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $60,000)
  • Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $484 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,484)
  • VMI graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($258 vs. $263)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 68%)

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