Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
17% gap between the two groups
17% gap between the two groups
9% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $7,068 |
| $30k–$48k | $10,830 |
| $48k–$75k | $16,521 |
| $75k–$110k | $22,703 |
| $110k+ | $28,546 |
How Michigan State University compares
This college against the Michigan and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Michigan State University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Michigan State University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's | $97,048 | — | +1,222% | Strong return |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Associate's | $105,539 | $22,500 | +1,173% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $102,673 | $22,500 | +1,113% | Strong return |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Associate's | $103,264 | $25,250 | +1,100% | Strong return |
| Computer Engineering | Associate's | $101,837 | $23,000 | +1,091% | Strong return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $99,263 | $22,500 | +1,041% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $99,381 | $23,250 | +1,037% | Strong return |
| Business/Commerce, General | Certificate | $162,832 | $78,686 | +997% | Strong return |
| Engineering, General | Associate's | $96,847 | $22,250 | +992% | Strong return |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Associate's | $96,014 | $23,375 | +966% | Strong return |
| Materials Engineering | Associate's | $95,671 | $24,385 | +950% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $95,843 | $25,314 | +947% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Certificate | $126,212 | — | +932% | Strong return |
| Statistics | Associate's | $94,328 | $23,625 | +928% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $91,024 | $22,500 | +868% | Strong return |
| Medicine | Doctoral | $208,932 | $251,502 | +862% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $90,299 | $21,500 | +860% | Strong return |
| Marketing | Associate's | $88,000 | $22,250 | +806% | Strong return |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Certificate | $124,994 | $30,375 | +791% | Strong return |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral | $114,920 | — | +788% | Strong return |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Certificate | $62,457 | — | +787% | Strong return |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Associate's | $86,826 | $23,250 | +774% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $129,236 | $51,250 | +765% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Associate's | $87,138 | $26,500 | +760% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Certificate | $121,949 | $48,355 | +699% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Michigan State University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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