1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Michigan State University](/school/michigan-state-university/) 4. / 5. Admissions & selectivity Admissions & selectivity Copy linkPrint brief # Michigan State University Acceptance Rate & Admissions Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/michigan-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/michigan-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/michigan-state-university/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/michigan-state-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## What is the acceptance rate at Michigan State University? Michigan State University’s reported acceptance rate is 84.8%. **Acceptance rate · Fall 2024** 84.8% Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle. First-year applicants and admitted students · CDS 2025-26 **Applicants** 62,965 **Admitted** 52,411 Source: Michigan State University Common Data Set 2025-26, C1 · first-time, first-year students. How to interpret the acceptance rate Michigan State University admitted 84.8% of applicants, above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 62,965 applicants, 52,411 admitted, and 9,355 enrolled. ## What SAT and ACT scores do enrolled Michigan State University students report? In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported a 3.74 average high-school GPA among enrolled first-year students, with 92.0% of the class reporting a GPA. The middle half of enrolled students who submitted SAT scores earned between 1100 and 1310; 52% of the entering class submitted SAT scores. For the 7% who submitted ACT scores, the middle half ranged from 25 to 31. Among the 32% of enrolled first-year students who reported a high-school class rank, 20% placed in the top tenth and 53% in the upper quarter. These figures describe enrolled students, not admission cutoffs; an applicant can compare their own record with the ranges as one point of context. The ranges below describe enrolled students who submitted test scores at Michigan State University. Use them as academic context, then check the university’s current testing policy for your application cycle. **52% of entering students submitted SAT scores** SAT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 1100 **Median** 1210 **75th percentile** 1310 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. **7% of entering students submitted ACT scores** ACT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 25 **Median** 28 **75th percentile** 31 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. Source: Michigan State University Common Data Set 2025-26, C9 · Enrolled first-time, first-year score submitters. ## Who enrolls at Michigan State University? **Pell Grant recipients** 20.1% **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group** 13.5% **First-year retention** 90.0% Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention. About these student measures The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns. Michigan State University admitted 84.8% of applicants, a rate above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 62,965 applicants, 52,411 admitted, and 9,355 enrolled first-year students. The university enrolls 40,922 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 20.1% of undergraduates, and an estimated 13.5% of students enter as transfers or part-time students. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 3,315 transfer applicants, 2,619 admitted, and 1,365 enrolled. Applicants who qualify for a Pell Grant or who plan to transfer should treat Michigan State as a realistic option. Michigan State University keeps most of its students on track. The first-year retention rate is 90.0%, and the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 80.7%. Both figures run above the peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size), which are 83.1% and 65.0% respectively. Pell Grant recipients in that cohort complete at 75.1%, which is 5.6 percentage points below the overall rate. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported a retention rate of 91% for the first-time, full-time fall 2024 entering class. Enrolled students can expect a campus where the large majority return for a second year. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).