UChicago vs. Michigan State

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

 UChicago Michigan State
Location Chicago, IL East Lansing, MI
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 18,339 50,023
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uchicago.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UChicago Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $61,179 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $61,179 $41,778
Room & Board $18,396 $10,990
Avg Net Price $36,991 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $48,422 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 92%

Admission

 UChicago Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,522 53,341
Admitted 2,039 46,914
Acceptance Rate 5.4% 88%
Enrolled % 84.8% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.72
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 25/31
SAT Range 1500/1580 1160/1360
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

 UChicago Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 UChicago Michigan State
Graduation Rate 92% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,500 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $149 $263

Diversity

 UChicago Michigan State
% Men 54% 47%
% Women 46% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 67%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 11% 13%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

 UChicago Michigan State
% In-State 12% 71%
% Out-of-State 69% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Michigan State University is larger than than UChicago based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 18,339 students)

UChicago vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UChicago or Michigan State?

  • University of Chicago is 302.7% more expensive to attend than Michigan State for in-state tuition ($61,179.00 vs. $15,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.4% higher at UChicago than Michigan State University ($61,179.00 vs. $41,778.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Michigan State University than UChicago ($22,803 vs. $36,991)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 67.4% lower than costs at University of Chicago ($10,990 vs. $18,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than University of Chicago (92% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Chicago students is 457.6% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($48,422 vs. $8,684)

UChicago vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 347 points higher than at Michigan State (1159)
  • Incoming UChicago students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Michigan State (26)
  • Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Michigan State (3.72)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than UChicago (5.4%)

UChicago vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UChicago 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 UChicago.

  • The graduation rate at UChicago is higher than Michigan State University (92% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $38,500 more per year than Michigan State graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $60,000)
  • University of Chicago students graduate with a $10,984 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($14,500 vs. $25,484)
  • UChicago graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($149 vs. $263)
  • More UChicago graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 68%)

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