ISU vs. Michigan State

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

ISU Michigan State
Location Normal, IL East Lansing, MI
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 20,683 50,023
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $41,778
Room & Board $10,602 $10,990
Avg Net Price $20,551 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 92%

Admission

ISU Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 53,341
Admitted 16,899 46,914
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 88%
Enrolled % 23.6% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 25/31
SAT Range 1000/1210 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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

ISU Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

ISU Michigan State
Graduation Rate 71% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $227 $263

Diversity

ISU Michigan State
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 67%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 13%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

ISU Michigan State
% In-State 96% 71%
% Out-of-State 3% 21%

Campus

ISU 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 ISU based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 20,683 students)

ISU vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Michigan State?

  • Michigan State University is 28.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($15,192.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.4% higher at Michigan State than Illinois State University ($41,778.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Michigan State ($20,551 vs. $22,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 3.7% lower than costs at Michigan State University ($10,602 vs. $10,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Michigan State University (97% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 33.8% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($11,619 vs. $8,684)

ISU vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 69 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than Illinois State University (77% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $11,000 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,484 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,484)
  • ISU graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($227 vs. $263)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 68%)

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