Michigan

Michigan State University

Michigan
#146 / #53
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#1461
Most Desirable School
Public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States

Michigan State University Featured Rankings

About Michigan State University

By James Barham, PhD

Michigan State University (MSU) was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the US. Its original curriculum elevated the study of the natural sciences over the Classical languages and humanities, which was quite unusual at the time.

The state reorganized the curriculum just six years later, in 1861, restoring a more traditional balance between the sciences and the humanities. At this time, the school’s name was changed to State Agricultural College.

The following year, in 1862, the first of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts was passed by the US Congress under the leadership of President Lincoln. These Acts were intended to encourage the development of publicly supported institutions of higher learning throughout the US.

Michigan’s State Agricultural College was mentioned by the first Morrill Act as a model for the other states to emulate. In addition, the Act established a new system of public financing—the “land-grant” system—under which the states obtained the right to sell off certain federal lands for the purpose of setting up publicly supported colleges.

In 1863, following the passage of the Morrill Act, the agricultural college was designated Michigan’s official land-grant college; as such, women students were permitted to attend classes and the school’s curriculum was further expanded.

By 1925, the agricultural college’s curriculum had expanded so much that its name was changed to the Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. The institution continued to rapidly evolve, and finally in 1964 its name was changed to its present form.

Today, MSU is one of the largest universities in the US, with a student body numbering nearly 50,000.

MSU is associated with three Nobel laureates, namely,

  • Physicist, Albert Fert
  • Chemist, Robert Grubbs
  • Bacteriologist, Alfred Hershey, for physiology or medicine

Other prominent MSU connected individuals include the following:

  • Poet, Carolyn Forché
  • Novelists, Richard Ford, Jim Harrison & Thomas McGuane
  • Film directors, Michael Cimino & Sam Raimi
  • Actors, James Caan, Robert Ulrich, Tom Sizemore & Anthony Heald
  • Popular singer and songwriter, Paul Stookey
  • Rapper, Tee Grizzley
  • “Muckraking” journalist, Ray Stannard Baker
  • Intellectual historian and political theorist, Russell Kirk
  • Physicist and optical fiber pioneer, Donald Keck
  • Paleontologist, Robert L. Carroll
  • Existential psychologist, Rollo May
  • Social psychologist, Daniel Wegner
  • Laser-printer inventor, Gary Starkweather
  • Journalist and essayist, Susan Jacoby
  • Former International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President, James P. Hoffa
  • Current US Senator, Debbie Stabenow
  • Current Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer

According to Wikipedia, Michigan State University is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. After the introduction of the Morrill Act in 1862, the state designated the college a land-grant institution in 1863, making it the first of the land-grant colleges in the United States. The college became coeducational in 1870. In 1955, the state officially made the college a university, and the current name was adopted in 1964. Today, Michigan State has rapidly expanded its footprint across the state of Michigan with facilities all across the state and one of the largest collegiate alumni networks with 634,000 members.

Michigan State University's Online Degrees

Professional Certificate in Business Analytics
  • Required Credits: 6
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Master's Certificate in Advanced Procurement Management
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Master's Certificate in Global Supply Chain Management And Logistics
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Professional Certificate in Human Resources And Talent Management
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Master's Certificate in Integrated Supply Chain Management
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Professional Certificate in Supervisory Management
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Master's Certificate in Supply Chain Management And Operations
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Master's Certificate in Supply Chain Management And Procurement
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Professional Certificate in Supervisory And Human Resources Management
  • Required Credits: 15
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Management, Strategy And Leadership
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Supply Chain Management
  • Required Credits: 31
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management
  • Required Credits: None Reported
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Graduate Certificate in Strategic Management
  • Required Credits: None Reported
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
Graduate Certificate in Leadership And Managing Teams
  • Required Credits: None Reported
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Healthcare Management
Degree Concentrations
  • Leadership
  • Compliance
  • Required Credits: 42
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported

Michigan State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceGraduation RateMedian SAT ScoreMedian ACT Score
53,34188%82%126028

How Much Does Michigan State University Cost To Attend?

Tuition (in-state)Fees (in-state)
$16,437$180

How Much Do Michigan State University Graduates Make?

If you graduate from Michigan State University, then you can expect to earn an average of $63,200 per year. You also have a 93% chance of being employed after 10 years.

Michigan State University's Demographics

Demographic data is for full-time, on-campus students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
53,94841,20212,746

Where is Michigan State University?

Michigan State University is located at , East Lansing MI 48824-1046

How Safe is Michigan State University?

Michigan State University has a violent crime rate of less than .01% and a property crime rate of less than .01%. East Lansing has a violent crime rate of less than .01% and a property crime rate of less than .01%.

What Is Michigan State University Known For?

Michigan State University is known for it's academic work in the following disciplines:

Michigan State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Business
#57
World Rank
#57
Historical Rank
#27
USA Rank
business Degrees
Nursing
#48
World Rank
#49
Historical Rank
#29
USA Rank
nursing Degrees
Biology
#95
World Rank
#112
Historical Rank
#30
USA Rank
biology Degrees
Education
#103
World Rank
#99
Historical Rank
#31
USA Rank
education Degrees
Sociology
#101
World Rank
#92
Historical Rank
#36
USA Rank
sociology Degrees
Criminal Justice
#42
World Rank
#45
Historical Rank
#36
USA Rank
criminal-justice Degrees
Medical
#87
World Rank
#92
Historical Rank
#37
USA Rank
medicine Degrees
Economics
#147
World Rank
#153
Historical Rank
#40
USA Rank
economics Degrees
Psychology
#73
World Rank
#72
Historical Rank
#41
USA Rank
psychology Degrees
History
#118
World Rank
#127
Historical Rank
#42
USA Rank
history Degrees
Political Science
#157
World Rank
#167
Historical Rank
#48
USA Rank
political-science Degrees
Mathematics
#212
World Rank
#260
Historical Rank
#51
USA Rank
math Degrees
Social Work
#80
World Rank
#82
Historical Rank
#51
USA Rank
social-work Degrees
Communications
#171
World Rank
#192
Historical Rank
#52
USA Rank
communications Degrees
Earth Sciences
#198
World Rank
#224
Historical Rank
#53
USA Rank
earth-science Degrees
Physics
#200
World Rank
#238
Historical Rank
#54
USA Rank
physics Degrees
Chemistry
#220
World Rank
#252
Historical Rank
#57
USA Rank
chemistry Degrees
Law
#173
World Rank
#185
Historical Rank
#58
USA Rank
Engineering
#223
World Rank
#240
Historical Rank
#63
USA Rank
engineering Degrees
Computer Science
#174
World Rank
#172
Historical Rank
#63
USA Rank
computer-science Degrees
Literature
#170
World Rank
#207
Historical Rank
#65
USA Rank
literature Degrees
Philosophy
#222
World Rank
#260
Historical Rank
#66
USA Rank
philosophy Degrees
Anthropology
#175
World Rank
#200
Historical Rank
#69
USA Rank
anthropology Degrees
Religious Studies
#313
World Rank
#338
Historical Rank
#70
USA Rank
religious-studies-hub Degrees

Who Are Michigan State University's Most Influential Alumni?

Michigan State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Criminal Justice, Nursing, and Business. Here are some of Michigan State University's most famous alumni:

Rollo May
Rollo May
An American psychiatrist.
Alfred Hershey
Alfred Hershey
An American chemist.
Russell Kirk
Russell Kirk
An American political theorist and writer .
Eli Broad
An American businessperson and philanthropist .
David Sloan Wilson
David Sloan Wilson
An American biologist.
Charles Bachman
Charles Bachman
An American computer scientist.
Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge
An American mathematician, computer scientist, and science fiction writer.
Theda Skocpol
Theda Skocpol
An American sociologist and political scientist.
Daniel Wegner
An American psychologist.
Eugene Parker
Eugene Parker
An American astronomer.
Robert Ressler
A FBI agent.
Liberty Hyde Bailey
Liberty Hyde Bailey
A U.S. botanist .

Who Are Michigan State University's Most Influential Faculty?

Michigan State University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Criminal Justice, Nursing, and Business. Here are some of Michigan State University's most famous alumni:

David A. Wiley
David A. Wiley
An American educator and copyright activist.
Sian Beilock
Sian Beilock
A Professor of Psychology.
Alford T. Welch
An Islamic studies scholar.
Nwando Achebe
A Historian.
Beth Shapiro
Beth Shapiro
An American biologist.
Huimin Zhao
An American chemist.
Charles Ofria
An American academic.
Brian C. Kalt
An American legal scholar and writer .
Olivier Voinnet
A French biologist.
Keith Hampton
An American academic.
Antwaan Randle El
Antwaan Randle El
An American football player and coach .
Terri Goss Kinzy
An American biochemist and academic administrator.