UC Riverside vs. Michigan State

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

 UC Riverside Michigan State
Location Riverside, CA East Lansing, MI
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 26,809 50,023
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucr.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Riverside Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,778
Room & Board $17,333 $10,990
Avg Net Price $14,487 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $22,042 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 92%

Admission

 UC Riverside Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,683 53,341
Admitted 37,563 46,914
Acceptance Rate 68.7% 88%
Enrolled % 14.8% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.72
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 25/31
SAT Range 1080/1280 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

 UC Riverside Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 UC Riverside Michigan State
Graduation Rate 67% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,200 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,109 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $197 $263

Diversity

 UC Riverside Michigan State
% Men 49% 47%
% Women 51% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 13% 67%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 36% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 13%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UC Riverside Michigan State
% In-State 94% 71%
% Out-of-State 2% 21%

Campus

 UC Riverside 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 UC Riverside based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 26,809 students)

UC Riverside vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or Michigan State?

  • Michigan State University is 31.4% more expensive to attend than UC Riverside for in-state tuition ($15,192.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Michigan State than University of California Riverside ($41,778.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Riverside than Michigan State ($14,487 vs. $22,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 57.7% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($10,990 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than University of California Riverside (92% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 153.8% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($22,042 vs. $8,684)

UC Riverside vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 40 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at Michigan State (26)
  • Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Michigan State (3.72)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than UC Riverside (68.7%)

UC Riverside vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Riverside 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 UC Riverside.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than University of California Riverside (77% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $7,800 more per year than UC Riverside graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $52,200)
  • University of California Riverside students graduate with a $6,375 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($19,109 vs. $25,484)
  • UC Riverside graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($197 vs. $263)
  • More Michigan State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside 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/