What SAT or ACT score do you need for Michigan State?

As of November 2026: Michigan State University is test-optional for fall 2027 first-year applicants, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1350. On the ACT, that middle half scored between 26 and 31.

Michigan State is test-optional for fall 2027. Here is what enrolled first-years who sent a score carried, and how we help families decide whether to send one.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

The SAT middle half is 1150 to 1350 The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023 scored between 1150 and 1350. On the ACT, the middle half scored between 26 and 31.

39 percent sent an SAT In fall 2023, 39 percent of enrolled first-years at Michigan State sent an SAT and 7 percent sent an ACT. At this college, a score is a choice, not a must.

Michigan State admitted 83.9 percent For fall 2023, Michigan State had 58,879 applicants and 49,399 admits. A strong, complete application still matters, with or without a score.

Does Michigan State require the SAT or ACT?

Here is Michigan State's test policy in its own words, for students applying to start in fall 2027.

Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Details	Source
Test-optional	fall 2027 first-year applicants	MSU is test optional, which means that prospective first-year students have the opportunity to apply for admission without submitting an ACT or SAT score.	Applicants choose whether scores are included; self-reported scores accepted; writing/science test sections recommended but not required; test-optional applicants still eligible for merit scholarships.	Source

Test-optional means a family chooses whether to send a score.

Michigan State: score bands, who sends a score, how many get in, what it costs

These figures cover the fall 2023 class, the latest federal data, along with current prices.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	58879
admits, fall 2023	49399
admit rate, percent	83.9
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1150
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1350
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	26
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	31
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	39
share who sent an ACT, percent	7
application fee, dollars	65
full price of a year, dollars	32198
average net price after aid, dollars	19680

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test, not every admitted student.

When are the Michigan State deadlines for fall 2027?

These are the dates Michigan State lists for students starting in fall 2027.

Early action	Priority	Regular	In the college's words	Source
2026-11-01	2027-02-01	2027-04-01	Applications completed with all required materials and submitted by Feb. 1 will be guaranteed an initial admission decision by March 31.	Source

Early decision and restrictive early action dates are not listed.

Does Michigan State require the SAT or ACT?

No, Michigan State does not require an SAT or ACT score from fall 2027 first-year applicants. Michigan State University is test-optional for fall 2027 first-year applicants. In its own words: "MSU is test optional, which means that prospective first-year students have the opportunity to apply for admission without submitting an ACT or SAT score."

Fall 2027 first-year applicants are high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. Your child chooses whether a score goes on the application. Michigan State accepts self-reported scores. The writing and science sections of the tests are recommended but not required.

Applicants who apply test-optional are still eligible for merit scholarships at Michigan State. We tell families this is good news. But it does not settle whether your child should send a score. That depends on the score itself.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at Michigan State carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1350. These are students who started at Michigan State in fall 2023, the latest federal data, and who chose to send an SAT. A quarter of those students scored below 1150, and a quarter scored above 1350.

This band is not a cutoff. It is a picture of students who sent a score and then enrolled. It says nothing about students who applied without a score.

We use the band as a yardstick. If your child's practice score sits at 1150 or higher, it looks like the scores of students who sent one and are already on campus.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years at Michigan State carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 26 and 31. As with the SAT, these are students from the fall 2023 class who chose to send that test.

Fewer enrolled first-years sent an ACT than an SAT, so this band comes from a smaller group of students. It still gives your child a clear target.

Our students often find that one test suits them better than the other. We suggest trying both before you pick one to prepare for.

How many Michigan State first-years send a score?

In fall 2023, 39 percent of enrolled first-years at Michigan State sent an SAT score, and 7 percent sent an ACT score. Some students may have sent both, so these shares do not simply add up. At a selective test-optional college like this one, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score: a strong one bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to a score.

What these numbers show is that sending a score is a real choice at Michigan State. A family that holds a score back is making a choice the college allows.

It also means the score bands describe only the students who sent a score. Keep that in mind when you compare your child's result with them.

Should my child send a score to Michigan State?

Our rule for Michigan State is this: if your child has an SAT of 1150 or higher, or an ACT of 26 or higher, send it. A score inside the band (1150 to 1350 on the SAT, 26 to 31 on the ACT) or above it is one to send.

A score below 1150 on the SAT or below 26 on the ACT is one to think hard about. Thinking hard means asking whether more prep could move the score into the band before the date your child plans to apply. If it can, we tell families to plan for that. If it cannot, applying test-optional is a fair choice.

At a test-required college, every applicant sends a score. Your child has this choice only because Michigan State is test-optional. We want families to use that choice with a clear head, based on the real score in hand.

How hard is it to get into Michigan State?

Michigan State admitted 83.9 percent of applicants for fall 2023. That year, 58,879 students applied and 49,399 were admitted.

We tell families not to read the admit rate as a promise. It covers the whole group of applicants, not your child. Our advice is to give this application the same care you would give a harder school: finish every part, send it early, and send a score only if it fits our rule.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Michigan State?

The application fee at Michigan State is $65. The full price of a year is $32,198, and the average net price after aid is $19,680.

The net price is an average across families. Your own price could be higher or lower. Michigan State, like every US college, publishes a net price calculator. We suggest you run it with your own family's numbers before senior fall gets busy.

When are the Michigan State deadlines for fall 2027?

For fall 2027 entry, Michigan State lists an early action date of November 1, 2026, a priority date of February 1, 2027, and a regular date of April 1, 2027. The priority date for fall 2027 is February 1, 2027. Michigan State says: "Applications completed with all required materials and submitted by Feb. 1 will be guaranteed an initial admission decision by March 31."

As of this writing, the early action date has passed. Early decision dates are not listed.

If your child plans to send a score, the test date should fall early enough that the score is in hand before the date you aim for. We suggest working back from February 1, 2027.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, both free at Test Prep Gurus, and compare the results with Michigan State's bands of 1150 to 1350 and 26 to 31. That tells you where your child stands today.

Pick the test where your child looks stronger. Then plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our rule is to prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section, so each sitting gives your child a full, fair shot.

To book a free mock SAT or a free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or start at https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will go over the results with you and help you plan the next step.

Questions parents ask

Is Michigan State test-optional?
Michigan State University is test-optional for fall 2027 first-year applicants.

Does Michigan State require an SAT or ACT score?
No, Michigan State does not require an SAT or ACT score from fall 2027 first-year applicants.

What SAT score do students at Michigan State have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1350.

What ACT score do students at Michigan State have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 26 and 31.

Can my child get merit scholarships at Michigan State without a score?
Applicants who apply test-optional are still eligible for merit scholarships at Michigan State.

What is the priority date for Michigan State?
The priority date for fall 2027 is February 1, 2027.

Method and sources: The test policy is Michigan State's own statement on its admissions page, and it applies to fall 2027 first-year applicants. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal data from IPEDS, which also gives the applicant and admit counts. The application fee, full price and average net price come from the College Scorecard, and a family's own price can differ from the average.