UCSC vs. Michigan State

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

 UCSC Michigan State
Location Santa Cruz, CA East Lansing, MI
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 19,478 50,023
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #240
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSC Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $15,192
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,778
Room & Board $18,185 $10,990
Avg Net Price $17,975 $22,803
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $8,684
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 92%

Admission

 UCSC Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 53,341
Admitted 30,926 46,914
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 88%
Enrolled % 12.5% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33 25/31
SAT Range 1160/1360 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

 UCSC Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 UCSC Michigan State
Graduation Rate 73% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $206 $263

Diversity

 UCSC Michigan State
% Men 50% 47%
% Women 50% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 67%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 31% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 4% 13%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 UCSC Michigan State
% In-State 90% 71%
% Out-of-State 7% 21%

Campus

 UCSC 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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (50,023 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSC vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Michigan State?

  • Michigan State University is 31.4% more expensive to attend than UCSC 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 Santa Cruz ($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 Santa Cruz than Michigan State ($17,975 vs. $22,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 65.5% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($10,990 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan State University than University of California Santa Cruz (92% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 144.2% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($21,202 vs. $8,684)

UCSC vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 42 points higher than at Michigan State (1159)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Michigan State (26)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (77% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $9,600 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $5,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan State graduates. ($19,959 vs. $25,484)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan State graduates. ($206 vs. $263)
  • More UCSC 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/