UC Davis vs. Michigan State

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

UC Davis Michigan State
Location Davis, CA East Lansing, MI
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 39,679 50,023
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #92 #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdavis.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Davis Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,778
Room & Board $17,692 $10,990
Avg Net Price $17,385 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $20,548 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 92%

Admission

UC Davis Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 94,747 53,341
Admitted 35,377 46,914
Acceptance Rate 37.3% 88%
Enrolled % 18.1% 21%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.72
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 25/33 25/31
SAT Range 1160/1400 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UC Davis Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

UC Davis Michigan State
Graduation Rate 82% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,200 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,676 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $151 $263

Diversity

UC Davis Michigan State
% Men 41% 47%
% Women 59% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 28% 67%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 19% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 11% 13%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UC Davis Michigan State
% In-State 75% 71%
% Out-of-State 7% 21%

Campus

UC Davis 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 UC Davis based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 39,679 students)

UC Davis vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Davis or Michigan State?

  • Michigan State University is 31.4% more expensive to attend than UC Davis for in-state tuition ($15,192.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Michigan State than University of California Davis ($41,778.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Davis than Michigan State ($17,385 vs. $22,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 61% lower than costs at University of California Davis ($10,990 vs. $17,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than University of California Davis (92% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Davis students is 136.6% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($20,548 vs. $8,684)

UC Davis vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Davis (1226) is 67 points higher than at Michigan State (1159)
  • Incoming UC Davis students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Michigan State (26)
  • Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Michigan State (3.72)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than UC Davis (37.3%)

UC Davis vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Davis 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 UC Davis.

  • The graduation rate at UC Davis is higher than Michigan State University (82% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of California Davis earn on average $5,200 more per year than Michigan State graduates after ten years. ($65,200 vs. $60,000)
  • University of California Davis students graduate with a $10,808 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($14,676 vs. $25,484)
  • UC Davis graduates are paying $112 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($151 vs. $263)
  • More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 68%)

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