Quad

Head-to-head

Michigan State
U. Cincinnati

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Michigan State grads earn $12.4K more ten years out than U. Cincinnati's ($67,253 vs. $54,810)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  2. 2

    U. Cincinnati has 10 pts more first-gen students than Michigan State (31% vs. 21%)

    First-generation students
  3. 3

    Michigan State graduates 10 pts more of its students than U. Cincinnati (82% vs. 73%)

    Graduation rate
  4. 4

    Michigan State's grants cover 22% of its full price on average, vs. 17% at U. Cincinnati

    Aid generosity
  5. 5

    Michigan State is a bit larger (40,922 vs. 29,882)

    Undergrads
  6. 6

    U. Cincinnati's yield is 4 pts higher than Michigan State's

    Yield rate

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Who's hardest to get into

Michigan State admits 83%, U. Cincinnati 88%; U. Cincinnati's yield is higher, at 22%.

Acceptance rate
Michigan State83%
U. Cincinnati88%
Quad's selectivity
  • Michigan StateSelective
  • U. CincinnatiAccessible
SAT middle 50%Axis 1100–1600
Michigan State
1180–1360
U. Cincinnati
1160–1340
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • Michigan StateGPA very important
  • U. CincinnatiGPA very important46%

Who's on each campus

Michigan State is a bit larger than U. Cincinnati (40,922 vs. 29,882 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Michigan State40.9K
U. Cincinnati29.9K
Pell Grant share
Michigan State20%
U. Cincinnati19%

Majors and faculty

Biology/Biological Sciences leads at Michigan State, and Marketing/Marketing Management at U. Cincinnati.

Students per faculty member
Michigan State17 to 1
U. Cincinnati19 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • Michigan StateBiology/Biological Sciences, General6%
  • U. CincinnatiMarketing/Marketing Management, General7%

What each costs

U. Cincinnati costs about $1.2K less a year than Michigan State on average; Michigan State's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Michigan State$30.1K
U. Cincinnati$28.9K
Aid generosity
Michigan State22%
U. Cincinnati17%

What each pays off

Michigan State's former students earn more, a median $67.3K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 70% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Michigan State$67.3K
U. Cincinnati$54.8K
Graduation rate
Michigan State82%
U. Cincinnati73%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • Michigan StateGrowing+87%
  • U. CincinnatiGrowing+105%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:Michigan State University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;Michigan State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Michigan State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;University of Cincinnati-Main Campus (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why