Notre Dame vs. Michigan State

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

 Notre Dame Michigan State
Location Notre Dame, IN East Lansing, MI
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 13,174 51,316
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #31 #227
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nd.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Notre Dame Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $62,186 $15,648
Tuition (Out of State) $62,186 $43,032
Room & Board $17,378 $11,754
Avg Net Price $29,083 $24,630
Avg Grant Aid $51,128 $8,147
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 96%

Admission

 Notre Dame Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,353 58,879
Admitted 3,510 49,414
Acceptance Rate 12.4% 83.9%
Enrolled % 59.1% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.72
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 33/35 26/31
SAT Range 1440/1540 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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 Notre Dame Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 Notre Dame Michigan State
Graduation Rate 96% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $222 $263

Diversity

 Notre Dame Michigan State
% Men 18% 9%
% Women 14% 12%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 69% 67%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Notre Dame Michigan State
% In-State 6% 76%
% Out-of-State 83% 18%

Campus

 Notre Dame Michigan State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 Notre Dame based on total student enrollment (51,316 students vs. 13,174 students)

Notre Dame vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Notre Dame or Michigan State?

  • University of Notre Dame is 297.4% more expensive to attend than Michigan State for in-state tuition ($62,186.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.5% higher at Notre Dame than Michigan State University ($62,186.00 vs. $43,032.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Michigan State University than Notre Dame ($24,630 vs. $29,083)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 47.8% lower than costs at University of Notre Dame ($11,754 vs. $17,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than University of Notre Dame (96% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Notre Dame students is 527.6% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($51,128 vs. $8,147)

Notre Dame vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Notre Dame (1455) is 296 points higher than at Michigan State (1159)
  • Incoming Notre Dame students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Michigan State (26)
  • Accepted freshman Notre Dame students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Michigan State (3.72)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Notre Dame (12.4%)

Notre Dame vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Notre Dame 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 Notre Dame .

  • The graduation rate at Notre Dame is higher than Michigan State University (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of Notre Dame earn on average $29,800 more per year than Michigan State graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $60,000)
  • University of Notre Dame students graduate with a $3,984 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,484)
  • Notre Dame graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($222 vs. $263)
  • More Notre Dame graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 68%)

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