HEAD-TO-HEAD · 30-YEAR ROI

University of Michigan vs Michigan State University

University of Michigan clears +$2.84M in 30-year net value, Michigan State University +$2.02M — both pay off, University of Michigan by +$823K.

Two Michigan public flagships, priced the way an in-state student actually pays. Same state, same residency — so the only thing moving the number is the school.

IPEDS 2023 tuition · FREOPP 2021 earnings · BEA 2023 cost-of-living · resident (in-state) pricing · same model as /worth-it · both schools NPV-positive.

University of Michigan · Ann Arbor, MI

clears more

30-year net value
+$2.84M
Total cost of attendance
$128,660
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$73,727
Breaks even by age
33

Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI

30-year net value
+$2.02M
Total cost of attendance
$116,096
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$63,880
Breaks even by age
37
How this is computed (and what it isn’t)

Each school runs through the /worth-it model at its resident tuition rate, with the same loan assumptions, the same 30-year horizon, and each state’s own cost-of-living. The “30-year net value” is the projected accumulated value of the degree over that horizon, in real dollars — the same figure the calculator headlines.

We only publish pairs where both schools clear positive net value, so the comparison is “both pay off, one clears more,” never “this school is a bad bet.” Earnings are rolled up from at least three FREOPP programs per school (ADR-0032), so a single high-earning major can’t distort the number.

Cite this:

LE TEEN (2026). “University of Michigan vs Michigan State University: 30-year ROI head-to-head.” Data: IPEDS 2023 · FREOPP 2021 · BEA 2023. https://le-teen.com/compare/michigan-vs-michigan-state

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Questions

Is University of Michigan or Michigan State University a better return on investment?
On a 30-year net-value basis at resident (in-state) pricing, University of Michigan clears +$2.84M and Michigan State University +$2.02M — both are solidly positive, so neither is a bad bet; University of Michigan comes out ahead by +$823K. Figures from IPEDS 2023 tuition, FREOPP 2021 earnings, and BEA 2023 cost-of-living, run through the same model as the LE TEEN calculator.
How much more does University of Michigan pay off than Michigan State University?
About +$823K over a 30-year horizon (+$2.84M vs +$2.02M in projected net value). That gap reflects each school's net price and its graduates' median earnings — not a judgment that either degree fails to pay off, since both clear positive.
What is the 30-year net value of a degree from University of Michigan?
+$2.84M at resident (in-state) pricing — total cost of attendance $128,660, median earnings ten years out $73,727, breaking even around age 33. Run your own assumptions on the /worth-it calculator.