San Diego State vs. Michigan State

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

San Diego State Michigan State
Location San Diego, CA East Lansing, MI
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 37,402 50,023
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,778
Room & Board $19,714 $10,990
Avg Net Price $13,017 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 92%

Admission

San Diego State Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 53,341
Admitted 30,331 46,914
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 88%
Enrolled % 21.7% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.72
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 25/31
SAT Range 1090/1300 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

San Diego State Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

San Diego State Michigan State
Graduation Rate 66% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $158 $263

Diversity

San Diego State Michigan State
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 34% 67%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 31% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

San Diego State Michigan State
% In-State 77% 71%
% Out-of-State 21% 21%

Campus

San Diego State 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 San Diego State based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 37,402 students)

San Diego State vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or Michigan State?

  • Michigan State University is 164.6% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($15,192.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 137.1% higher at Michigan State than San Diego State University ($41,778.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Michigan State ($13,017 vs. $22,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 79.4% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($10,990 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than San Diego State University (92% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 14.4% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($9,934 vs. $8,684)

San Diego State vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 29 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Michigan State (3.72)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State 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 San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than San Diego State University (77% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $6,600 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $10,135 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($15,349 vs. $25,484)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($158 vs. $263)
  • More Michigan State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 65%)

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