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Is Michigan State University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Michigan State, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Affordable
Michigan State lands in the affordable band for a typical family. Graduates earn a median of $74,168 ten years after enrolling, and that makes the median debt of $20,000 more manageable than it looks at first glance. For context, Michigan State's net price sits about 87% above the typical 4-year, public school and near the top of its sector range. On the numbers alone, this school clears the bar comfortably.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$24,630
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis significantly impacts your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $11,476 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $46,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$21,322
Median earnings 10 years out
$74,168
Median debt at graduation
$20,000
Graduation rate
81%
At Michigan State, a typical graduate carries about $20,000 in student debt and earns roughly $74,168 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $227 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $45,172 more than the typical working high school graduate in Michigan ($28,996) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
88% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Michigan ($28,996).
Agricultural Production Operations
Certificate · 36 working graduates counted
$35,265
$6,269 above the benchmark
Anthropology
Bachelor's degree · 35 working graduates counted
$41,512
$12,516 above the benchmark
Zoology/Animal Biology
Bachelor's degree · 121 working graduates counted
$41,768
$12,772 above the benchmark
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor's degree · 40 working graduates counted
$42,820
$13,824 above the benchmark
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Bachelor's degree · 65 working graduates counted
$45,167
$16,171 above the benchmark
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
Bachelor's degree · 39 working graduates counted
$46,669
$17,673 above the benchmark
History
Bachelor's degree · 50 working graduates counted
$47,224
$18,228 above the benchmark
Plant Sciences
Bachelor's degree · 43 working graduates counted
$47,404
$18,408 above the benchmark
English Language and Literature, General
Bachelor's degree · 107 working graduates counted
$49,154
$20,158 above the benchmark
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
Bachelor's degree · 28 working graduates counted
$49,377
$20,381 above the benchmark
104 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent Michigan State University and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
Michigan State is a public four year school in East Lansing, MI. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
Central Michigan
Mount Pleasant, MI
Worth-It Score: 68/100
Median net price: $17,201
Public 4-year
Eastern Michigan
Ypsilanti, MI
Worth-It Score: 59/100
Median net price: $16,628
Public 4-year
Grand Valley State
Allendale, MI
Worth-It Score: 72/100
Median net price: $16,495
Public 4-year
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI
Worth-It Score: 94/100
Median net price: $14,362
Public 4-year
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT
Worth-It Score: 49/100
Median net price: $21,302
Common questions about Michigan State
The median net price at Michigan State is $21,322 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Michigan? See the most affordable public universities in Michigan →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at Michigan State in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$21,322a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →