How this school serves students from different economic backgrounds, including Pell students, first-generation pathways, and long-term mobility outcomes.
Michigan State University admits about 84.8% of applicants. Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored between 1,180 and 1,360 on the SAT (interquartile range), and between 25 and 31 on the ACT. 20.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 21.0% are first-generation college students, reflecting the university's broad commitment to serving students from a wide range of economic backgrounds. Transfer enrollment accounts for 13.5% of the student body, indicating a meaningful pathway for students who begin their education elsewhere. Azimuth ranks Michigan State University #434 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's freshman retention rate is 90.0%, and the six-year graduation rate is 80.7%, with 75.1% of Pell-eligible students completing within that window — a figure that speaks to how well Michigan State University supports students who arrive with fewer financial resources. Azimuth ranks Michigan State University #37 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low-income graduates see median earnings of $69,300 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing this cohort in the 92.8 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Given that 20.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, these outcomes reflect a broad population of students — not a narrow slice — making the mobility story at Michigan State University one of meaningful scale as well as meaningful per-student impact. As explored in Azimuth's analysis of access and outcomes, the combination of broad enrollment and strong earnings for low-income graduates is what distinguishes institutions that move the needle on economic mobility from those that merely report strong averages.
Michigan State University admits about 84.8% of applicants. Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored between 1,180 and 1,360 on the SAT (interquartile range), and between 25 and 31 on the ACT. 20.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 21.0% are first-generation college students, reflecting the university's broad commitment to serving students from a wide range of economic backgrounds. Transfer enrollment accounts for 13.5% of the student body, indicating a meaningful pathway for students who begin their education elsewhere. Azimuth ranks Michigan State University #434 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's freshman retention rate is 90.0%, and the six-year graduation rate is 80.7%, with 75.1% of Pell-eligible students completing within that window — a figure that speaks to how well Michigan State University supports students who arrive with fewer financial resources. Azimuth ranks Michigan State University #37 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low-income graduates see median earnings of $69,300 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing this cohort in the 92.8 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Given that 20.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, these outcomes reflect a broad population of students — not a narrow slice — making the mobility story at Michigan State University one of meaningful scale as well as meaningful per-student impact. As explored in Azimuth's analysis of access and outcomes, the combination of broad enrollment and strong earnings for low-income graduates is what distinguishes institutions that move the needle on economic mobility from those that merely report strong averages.
Michigan State University admits about 84.8% of applicants. Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored between 1,180 and 1,360 on the SAT (interquartile range), and between 25 and 31 on the ACT. 20.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 21.0% are first-generation college students, reflecting the university's broad commitment to serving students from a wide range of economic backgrounds. Transfer enrollment accounts for 13.5% of the student body, indicating a meaningful pathway for students who begin their education elsewhere. Azimuth ranks Michigan State University #434 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's freshman retention rate is 90.0%, and the six-year graduation rate is 80.7%, with 75.1% of Pell-eligible students completing within that window — a figure that speaks to how well Michigan State University supports students who arrive with fewer financial resources. Azimuth ranks Michigan State University #37 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low-income graduates see median earnings of $69,300 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing this cohort in the 92.8 percentile for low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Given that 20.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, these outcomes reflect a broad population of students — not a narrow slice — making the mobility story at Michigan State University one of meaningful scale as well as meaningful per-student impact. As explored in Azimuth's analysis of access and outcomes, the combination of broad enrollment and strong earnings for low-income graduates is what distinguishes institutions that move the needle on economic mobility from those that merely report strong averages.
