Winona State vs Michigan State University (MSU)

When it comes to higher education, Winona State University and Michigan State University stand out as two distinct institutions with unique offerings. Winona State, nestled in the picturesque town of Winona, Minnesota, is a public liberal arts university known for its small class sizes and personalized attention. Michigan State, located in the vibrant city of East Lansing, Michigan, is a large public research university renowned for its academic excellence and diverse student body. As you embark on your college search, understanding the differences between these two universities is crucial. This side-by-side comparison delves into key aspects such as acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, providing valuable insights to help you make an informed decision about your academic future.
Michigan State University logo

Michigan State University

Winona State University logo

Winona State University

Overview

Location East Lansing, Michigan Winona, Minnesota
Campus setting City: Small Town: Distant
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% 75.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.3% 76.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $20
SAT range 1100 - 1320 970 - 1280
ACT range 23 - 29 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 48.0% 2.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0% 67.0%
Total number of applicants 50,630 5,335
Total number of admissions given out 42,150 4,103
Admitted students who chose to enroll 9,225 1,098
Yield rate 21.9% 26.8%
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: $22,994

Out of state: $29,494
Average net price $8,738 $17,283
Tuition
In state: $14,750

Out of state: $40,562
In state: $8,100

Out of state: $14,600
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,408

Meal plan: $6,268
Room/dormitory: $6,100

Meal plan: $3,170
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

58.0%
Average amount $12,822
85.0%
Average amount $4,883
Students receiving federal student loan 34.0%
Average amount $4,999
60.0%
Average amount $5,090
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $18,093
21.0%
Average amount $10,358

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 38,574
Men 48.4% Women 51.6%
5,748
Men 33.1% Women 66.9%
Graduate students 11,085
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
797
Men 19.9% Women 80.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 18.7% N/A
International students 8.3% 1.8%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 17,463 2,115
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 N/A

Academics

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

Outcome

Graduation rate 82.1% 63.0%
Dropout rate 7.8% 8.0%
Transferred out 9.8% 28.5%
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $98,750
  • Year 2: $105,678
  • Year 3: $108,093
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,844
  • Year 2: $63,335
  • Year 3: $70,104
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,934
  • Year 2: $65,101
  • Year 3: $68,563
Materials Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,265
  • Year 2: $63,217
  • Year 3: $67,302
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $64,791
  • Year 3: $63,622
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,397
  • Year 2: $49,136
  • Year 3: $54,230
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,501
  • Year 2: $42,402
  • Year 3: $52,022
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,367
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $51,055
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $50,209
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,074
  • Year 2: $43,928
  • Year 3: $50,102

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