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Michigan State University vs University of Missouri, Columbia
Where graduates end up, what each school really costs, and who gets in, side by side from each school's official ABA data. Add your LSAT and GPA to see your chances and scholarship estimates at both.
VS
Add your numbersSee your admission chances and scholarship estimates at both schools.
The short version
- =About the same placement. 6.6% of Michigan State's Class of 2025 and 6.4% of Missouri Columbia's went to BigLaw or federal clerkships.
- =About the same cost. Three years come to roughly $115K at Michigan State and $120K at Missouri Columbia after the average scholarship.
- Michigan State is harder to get into: a 162 median LSAT and a 26.0% acceptance rate, against 161 and 42.0% at Missouri Columbia.
- Missouri Columbia has the higher first time bar pass rate: 86.2% against 77.3%.
Michigan State
vs
Missouri Columbia
Where graduates go
Missouri Columbia leads 3 of 5
✓6.6%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
6.4%
4.6%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
✓5.6%
✓2.0%
Federal clerkships
0.8%
93.9%
Graduates employed
✓96.8%
77.3%
First time bar passage
✓86.2%
What it costs
Michigan State leads 4 of 4
✓$115K
Three year net cost
$120K
✓100%
Students receiving a scholarship
79%
✓$42,682/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
$17,500/yr
✓$37,353/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
$12,774/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Michigan State 26.0% · Missouri Columbia 42.0%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Michigan State
158162164
Missouri Columbia
156161162
154156158160162164166
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Michigan State
3.473.733.87
Missouri Columbia
3.473.723.91
3.403.503.603.703.803.904.00
Michigan State University
University of Missouri, Columbia
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Frequently asked questions
Is Michigan State or Missouri Columbia better for BigLaw?
Michigan State placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 6.6% against 6.4%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Michigan State placed 4.6% and Missouri Columbia placed 5.6%. Federal clerkships were 2.0% at Michigan State and 0.8% at Missouri Columbia.
Which is harder to get into, Michigan State or Missouri Columbia?
Michigan State's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 162 and a median GPA of 3.73, with a 26.0% acceptance rate. Missouri Columbia's had 161 and 3.72, with 42.0%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Michigan State or Missouri Columbia?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $115K at Michigan State and $120K at Missouri Columbia, including living costs. Public schools are shown at out of state tuition. Your own scholarship can move these numbers a lot, so add your numbers above for an estimate.
Which gives more scholarship money, Michigan State or Missouri Columbia?
100% of Michigan State students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $42,682 a year among recipients. 79% of Missouri Columbia students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $17,500 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
77.3% of Michigan State's first time takers passed in 2025, against 86.2% at Missouri Columbia. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Michigan State or Missouri Columbia?
It depends on your goals, your odds and your offers. Compare where each school's graduates end up, then add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances and scholarships at both. Your scholarship offer usually changes the cost more than anything else.
What a higher LSAT changes
Move the LSAT slider in the admissions calculator to watch your odds and scholarship estimates change at every school.
Figures come from each school’s official ABA disclosures. Admission chances and scholarship estimates are modeled from that data and are not predictions of any individual decision. Our data and methodology