The Broad College of Business at Michigan State University ranked No. 67 in Poets&Quants’ 2025 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. In the three methodological categories, it placed No. 32 in Admission Standards, No. 38 in Career Outcomes, and No. 96 in Academic Experience (based on the alumni survey).
The business school had an acceptance rate of 38% for the fall 2024 incoming class. The class reported an average SAT/ACT score of 1209, and the school maintains a six-year graduation rate of 97%.
In career data, 85% of Class of 2024 graduates and 74% of Class of 2023 graduates completed at least one business-specific internship before graduation. Employment rates remained strong, with 98.1% of 2024 graduates securing jobs within three months of graduation, compared to 96.8% of 2023 graduates.
The average salary for 2024 graduates was $68,442, a slight decline from $70,379 in 2023. Meanwhile, the average signing bonus for those who received one was $5,723 in 2024, down from $6,184 in 2023. The percentage of students receiving a signing bonus also declined, with 52% of 2024 graduates reporting a bonus, compared to 56% in 2023.
Top employers hiring Broad graduates include General Motors, Plante Moran, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Jackson, PwC, Amazon, EY, Stryker, Aptiv, KPMG, and United Wholesale Mortgage.
BROAD’S T-SHAPED CURRICULUM
The Broad College of Business at Michigan State University blends rigorous academics, experiential learning, and leadership development to prepare students for today’s fast-paced business environment.
At the core is the school’s T-shaped curriculum, which ensures students develop deep expertise in a chosen field while gaining broad, interdisciplinary knowledge across multiple disciplines.
Broad students can choose from seven majors: Accounting, Finance, Hospitality Business, Human Resource Management, Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management.
COMMUNITY BASED LEARNING
Broad offers multiple programs designed to foster leadership development, one of which is the Residential Business Community (RBC). RBC creates a small-school environment within a large public university, providing a living-learning experience where students grow academically, personally, and professionally. RBC students live in the same residence hall, take first-year business courses together, and attend leadership retreats, networking events, and corporate mentorship programs.
The program continues through their second year, giving students access to corporate mentorship, case study research, and professional development workshops. RBC effectively replicates the close-knit learning communities often found in private universities—offering the same benefits but at a public school price.
Broad’s Multicultural Business Programs (MBP) serves over 650 students through academic coaching, tutoring, and career development. MBP also sponsors seven identity-based student organizations, including the National Association of Black Accountants, Women in Business Students’ Association, and Spartan Pride, ensuring students have access to professional development, networking, and leadership opportunities.
Broad also hosts the Summer Business Institute, a week-long residential program that prepares incoming first-year students for college coursework and business education.
REAL-WORLD APPLICATION
Broad has expanded its experiential learning opportunities by integrating hands-on projects and corporate-sponsored learning experiences into the curriculum. The Broad360 app allows students to track and participate in leadership workshops, case competitions, and co-curricular experiences, helping them build a comprehensive digital portfolio of their skills. The Spartan Experience Record, an official university document, further validates students’ involvement in professional development activities, leadership roles, and service projects – enhancing their marketability to future employers.
Entrepreneurship plays a significant role at Broad, supported by the Entrepreneurship & Innovation program and the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. These initiatives provide students regardless of major the opportunity to minor in entrepreneurship, participate in business plan competitions, and launch ventures with support from The Hatch, MSU’s startup incubator.
CAPSTONE AND GLOBAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Regardless of major, students take on complex case studies, conduct in-depth research, and collaborate on business strategies, mirroring real-world corporate challenges as capstone projects.
Broad’s commitment to global learning has also expanded in recent years, requiring all students to take International Business (IBUS 310) and a capstone course (MGT 409) with global business content. In addition to coursework, Broad has significantly increased its study abroad programs, offering students more semester-long exchanges, faculty-led experiences, and international internships. The college has also hired a Director of Education Abroad to further integrate global experiences into the curriculum.
Beyond technical and analytical skills, Broad prioritizes ethical leadership. The Center for Ethical and Socially Responsible Leadership, launched in 2021, offers students case competitions, symposiums, service-learning projects, and leadership trainings that prepare them to handle ethical challenges in business. These efforts complement the ethical decision-making frameworks taught within Broad’s coursework, ensuring students graduate with a strong moral foundation and a commitment to social responsibility.
ALUMNI SAY
“I had to do a capstone for my entrepreneurship minor to simulate what a business idea I had could look like when I implement it. This was extremely helpful and prepared me well when I started my own business.”
“I completed experiential projects with whirlpool, Lansing airport, etc. were invaluable in terms of experience working with professionals and understanding day to day questions.”
“Through a MKT 300 class, I went to Spain for a week to learn about international business practices. This experience was extremely valuable. I was able to network with business professionals and tour various companies covering a wide range of industries. The trip helped my view and understand of business and enriched my time at MSU.”
“My experience at MSU and Broad was very beneficial, and the resources there were plentiful. As far as undergraduate, two of the best elements would be the Residential Business Community I was a part of my freshman year, and the Major associated organizations (for me Marketing Association). These were the greatest source of external business experience/practice and connections. The only thing I will note is that the undergrad program, while good, is generalized which makes the job application a bit more difficult with how broad of a field Marketing is. The MSMR program at MSU, which I dual-enrolled in at the same time, made me feel VERY prepared for the field of Marketing Research.”
“A lot of business comes from hands on learning when you get into job and procedures vary based on company. Broad focused a lot of the curriculum on not only giving a foundation to bring into the work place with hard skills, but also put a lot of emphasis on professionalism and learning how to present oneself in the workplace. I think this really does set Broad students ahead when it comes to finding jobs and navigating a new role.”
