Michigan State University (MSU) vs U of A

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant college towns of East Lansing, Michigan, or Tucson, Arizona, home to Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Arizona (UA), respectively. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence and offer a diverse range of programs, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your college experience. MSU boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option, while UA's lower student-to-faculty ratio ensures more personalized attention. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further differences, including popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, to determine which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Michigan State University logo

Michigan State University

University of Arizona logo

University of Arizona

Overview

Location East Lansing, Michigan Tucson, Arizona
Campus setting City: Small City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 92.0% 84.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.3% 87.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $85
SAT range 1100 - 1320 1120 - 1370
ACT range 23 - 29 21 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 48.0% 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0% 19.0%
Total number of applicants 50,630 48,065
Total number of admissions given out 42,150 41,946
Admitted students who chose to enroll 9,225 8,436
Yield rate 21.9% 20.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $29,734

Out of state: $55,546
In state: $30,136

Out of state: $54,658
Average net price $8,738 $17,242
Tuition
In state: $14,750

Out of state: $40,562
In state: $11,299

Out of state: $35,821
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,408

Meal plan: $6,268
Room/dormitory: $8,400

Meal plan: $5,050
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

58.0%
Average amount $12,822
92.0%
Average amount $13,790
Students receiving federal student loan 34.0%
Average amount $4,999
24.0%
Average amount $4,845
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $18,093
3.0%
Average amount $20,814

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 38,574
Men 48.4% Women 51.6%
37,434
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Graduate students 11,085
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
10,840
Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 18.7% 48.8%
International students 8.3% 6.5%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 17,463 7,036
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Michigan Illinois California Ohio New York Arizona California Washington Illinois Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 82.1% 64.3%
Dropout rate 7.8% 14.3%
Transferred out 9.8% 19.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $126,500
  • Year 2: $123,886
  • Year 3: $132,790
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,863
  • Year 2: $98,481
  • Year 3: $108,546
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,313
  • Year 2: $89,435
  • Year 3: $101,511
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,361
  • Year 2: $96,183
  • Year 3: $100,492
Educational Administration and Supervision (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $97,714
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,294
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $93,263
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,609
  • Year 2: $83,915
  • Year 3: $92,316
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,457
  • Year 2: $86,129
  • Year 3: $91,721
Food Science and Technology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,178
  • Year 2: $83,915
  • Year 3: $89,761
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,462
  • Year 2: $80,133
  • Year 3: $84,869
Physics (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,673
  • Year 2: $123,527
  • Year 3: $127,192
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,426
  • Year 2: $117,473
  • Year 3: $122,962
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,630
  • Year 2: $103,746
  • Year 3: $104,908
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,116
  • Year 2: $83,388
  • Year 3: $98,461
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,677
  • Year 2: $92,743
  • Year 3: $98,271
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $96,308
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,806
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $89,884
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,657
  • Year 2: $73,035
  • Year 3: $87,557
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,627
  • Year 2: $79,199
  • Year 3: $86,387
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,284
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: $83,742

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