Wabash College vs. Michigan State

Should I go to Wabash College or Michigan State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wabash College 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.

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
Wabash College vs. Michigan State University comparison
Wabash College Michigan State University College 3 College 4
Wabash College Michigan State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Wabash College Michigan State
Location Crawfordsville, IN East Lansing, MI
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 835 50,023
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wabash.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wabash College Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $46,600 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $46,600 $41,778
Room & Board $12,500 $10,990
Avg Net Price $22,976 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $37,119 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

Wabash College Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,914 53,341
Admitted 1,177 46,914
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 88%
Enrolled % 21.9% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/30 25/31
SAT Range 1122/1320 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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Wabash College Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (14%)
  • Mathematics (10%)
  • History (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

Wabash College Michigan State
Graduation Rate 75% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,800 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $258 $263

Diversity

Wabash College Michigan State
% Men 100% 47%
% Women 0% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 67%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 13%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Wabash College Michigan State
% In-State 66% 71%
% Out-of-State 25% 21%

Campus

Wabash College 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 Wabash College based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 835 students)

Wabash College vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wabash College or Michigan State?

  • Wabash College is 206.7% more expensive to attend than Michigan State for in-state tuition ($46,600.00 vs. $15,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at Wabash College than Michigan State University ($46,600.00 vs. $41,778.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Michigan State University than Wabash College ($22,803 vs. $22,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 13.7% lower than costs at Wabash College ($10,990 vs. $12,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wabash College than Michigan State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wabash College students is 327.4% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($37,119 vs. $8,684)

Wabash College vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 14 points higher than at Wabash College (1145)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Wabash College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Wabash College (3.6)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than Wabash College (61.5%)

Wabash College vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wabash College 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 Wabash College.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than Wabash College (77% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Wabash College earn on average $2,800 more per year than Michigan State graduates after ten years. ($62,800 vs. $60,000)
  • Wabash College students graduate with a $484 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,484)
  • Wabash College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($258 vs. $263)
  • More Wabash College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 68%)

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