Michigan State University Vs University Of Michigan | Which School Is Better Michigan Vs Michigan State?
Michigan State University Vs University Of Michigan: Which School Is Better Michigan Vs Michigan State? Michigan State University was founded as the premier land-grant college, a model followed by institutions across the country. The two schools are counted among the best public schools in the nation, they both have rich histories and they each have storied athletic programs. Although the Wolverines and Spartans share many similarities.
With an acceptance rate of only 23%, the University of Michigan is the more exclusive school. As members of the Big Ten Conference, Michigan State University Spartans field 25 varsity sports teams, competing in everything from volleyball and wrestling to gymnastics and football. Of all its programs, MSU’s football, basketball, and ice hockey teams have received the most attention.
University of Michigan vs Michigan State Overview
University of Michigan | Michigan State | |
Acceptance Rate | 26% | 76% |
Location | Ann Arbor, MI | East Lansing, MI |
Undergraduate Enrollment | 31,329 | 38,491 |
Campus Type | Urban. | Suburban. |
Ranking by U.S. News | 83 | 23 |
Middle 50% ACT | 31-34 | 23-29 |
Middle 50% SAT | 1340-1520. | 1110-1280. |
Michigan vs Michigan state tuition. | $32,272 (in-state) & $69,326 (out-of-state) | $25,590 (in-state) & $51,402 (out-of-state) |
Need-blind, no-loan, or meets 100% demonstrated need? | Need-blind and meets 100% of demonstrated need for in-state students. | Need-blind and meets 100% of demonstrated need for in-state students. |
Michigan Vs Michigan State: Which School Is Better For You?
Academics
Michigan State is divided into 21 degree-granting colleges, through which they offer more than 200 programs. Those colleges are:
- College of Education
- College of Engineering.
- Graduate School
- Honors College.
- College of Human Medicine.
- College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- College of Arts and Letters
- Eli Broad College of Business and Eli Broad Graduate School of Management
- College of Communication Arts and Sciences.
- International Studies and Programs.
- James Madison College.
- College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
- College of Social Science.
- Undergraduate Education
- College of Veterinary Medicine.
- College of Law
- Lyman Briggs College
- College of Music
- College of Natural Science.
- College of Nursing.
The University of Michigan offers more than 280 degree programs through its 14 undergraduate schools and colleges. In total, the University of Michigan is home to 19 schools and colleges:
- Engineering
- Environment and Sustainability
- Information
- Kinesiology.
- Architecture & Urban Planning
- Art & Design
- Business.
- Public Health
- Public Policy
- Rackham School of Graduate Studies
- Social Work.
- Dentistry
- Education.
- Law
- Literature, Science, and the Arts
- Medicine
- Music, Theatre & Dance
- Nursing
- Pharmacy.
Financial Aid
When comparing the University of Michigan vs. Michigan State, one notable difference is cost. The sticker price for Wolverines is $32,272 for in-state students and $69,326 for out-of-state students. Sticker price for Spartans is $25,590 for in-state students and $51,402 for out-of-state students. About 70% of undergraduate Wolverines receive financial aid while just 40% from out-of-state financial aid. Roughly 60% of all undergraduate Spartans receive financial aid. Both UMichigan and MSU offer a variety of merit-based scholarships for high-achieving students looking to lower the cost of college.
Housing
The University of Michigan and Michigan State have different housing policies—Wolverines are not required to live on campus while Spartans must spend their first two years living on campus. That said, 97% of freshmen at the University of Michigan choose to live in school-provided housing.
Acceptance rate
When building your college list and comparing Michigan State University vs University Of Michigan, it’s important to know your odds of acceptance in order to maximize your chance of getting into a good fit school. It’s suggested that you apply to 8-12 schools, with 25% being safety schools, 40% target schools, and 35% reach schools.
Deciding Between the University of Michigan or Michigan State
Why Michigan State is a good choice
- If you hope to study abroad. Michigan State offers over 275 credit-bearing programs around the world.
- If you love hoops. The Spartans have one of the most consistently successful men’s basketball teams in the nation—it’s almost guaranteed you’ll get to watch meaningful games while on campus.
- If you want to attend college in a small, easy-to-navigate city but want access to big city amenities.
- If you want to attend a historic school. MSU has the distinction of being the nation’s first land-grant university and was the prototype for the entire land-grant system.
- If you want to have fun at college. MSU is commonly included among lists of the best party schools in the U.S.
- If you are passionate about the environment. MSU consistently ranks as one of the greenest colleges in the nation and its Knight Center for Environmental Journalism is one of the U.S.’s few environmental journalism programs.
- If you want to attend a big school. MSU is one of the largest schools in the country.
Why The University of Michigan is a good choice:
- If you care about green space—90% of Ann Arbor residents live within a 10-minute walk from a park.
- ROI is important to you. Niche ranks UMichigan the 48th best value school in the Nation.
- If you want to attend college in one of the nation’s funkiest and most fun towns. WalletHubranks it the best small city college town in the country.
- If you care about college football. The University of Michigan’s “Big House” is the largest college football stadium in the country, holding 107,601 fans.
- If you value prestige. The University of Michigan is one of the best public universities in the nation and has national name recognition.
- You come from an extremely low-income family. UMichigan’s Go Blue Guarantee provides free tuition to students from families with incomes less than $65,000 and assets below $50,000.
Sports and Extracurriculars
- The Wolverines and Spartans both play Division I sports, compete in the Big Ten, and are among the most prestigious athletic programs in the nation. The University of Michigan is perhaps best known for its athletics.
- At Michigan State, the men’s basketball team is most often in the spotlight. It has made 23 straight NCAA appearances, including 10 Final Fours.
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