UIC vs. Michigan State

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

UIC Michigan State
Location Chicago, IL East Lansing, MI
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 33,522 51,316
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #198 #227
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UIC Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $11,178 $15,648
Tuition (Out of State) $26,200 $43,032
Room & Board $14,600 $11,754
Avg Net Price $11,499 $24,630
Avg Grant Aid $15,421 $8,147
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 96%

Admission

UIC Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,420 58,879
Admitted 19,955 49,414
Acceptance Rate 78.5% 83.9%
Enrolled % 23.3% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/32 26/31
SAT Range 1120/1340 1150/1350
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

UIC Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

UIC Michigan State
Graduation Rate 54% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $193 $263

Diversity

UIC Michigan State
% Men 14% 9%
% Women 20% 12%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 34% 67%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 28% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 13%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

UIC Michigan State
% In-State 89% 76%
% Out-of-State 4% 18%

Campus

UIC 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 UIC based on total student enrollment (51,316 students vs. 33,522 students)

UIC vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or Michigan State?

  • Michigan State University is 40% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($15,648.00 vs. $11,178.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.2% higher at Michigan State than University of Illinois at Chicago ($43,032.00 vs. $26,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than Michigan State ($11,499 vs. $24,630)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 24.2% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($11,754 vs. $14,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than University of Illinois at Chicago (96% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 89.3% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($15,421 vs. $8,147)

UIC vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 67 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than UIC (78.5%)

UIC vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIC 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 UIC.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (77% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $1,900 more per year than Michigan State graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $60,000)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $6,734 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($18,750 vs. $25,484)
  • UIC graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($193 vs. $263)
  • More Michigan State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 68%)

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