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Most schools have rolling admissions and financial help so you can start your degree in a few weeks!

Why This Matters

  • 74 FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES IN MICHIGAN

    According to College Navigator, the four-year colleges in Michigan include 21 public and 53 private non-profit options.

  • $14,815 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    For the 2022-23 school year, the average in-state tuition for public four-year colleges in Michigan is $14,815, according to College Board.

  • $15,330 AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID

    In the U.S., full-time undergraduate students attending college in 2021-22 received an average of $15,330 per year in financial aid.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar colleges in Michigan. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications, such as U.S. News & World Report, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — this organization examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of postsecondary education programs in the central United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission standards, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the resources and services provided for on-campus students. Then, we used this information to calculate the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

Online College Programs That Might Interest You

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

The Top 50 Colleges in Michigan

Best Colleges In Michigan
01

University of Michigan
01

Michigan State University
01

Michigan Technological University
01

University of Detroit Mercy
01

Grand Valley State University
01

Andrews University
01

Wayne State University
01

Central Michigan University
01

Hope College
01

Kalamazoo College
01

Western Michigan University
01

University of Michigan at Dearborn
01

Lake Superior State University
01

Hillsdale College
01

Albion College
01

Calvin University
01

Aquinas College
01

Kettering University
01

Lawrence Technological University
01

Adrian College
01

Madonna University
01

Spring Arbor University
01

Cornerstone University
01

Olivet College
01

Grace Christian University
01

Northern Michigan University
01

Rochester University
01

Eastern Michigan University
01

Davenport University
01

Saginaw Valley State University
01

Oakland University
01

University of Michigan-Flint
01

Ferris State University
01

Siena Heights University
01

Concordia University Ann Arbor
01

Kuyper College
01

Finlandia University
01

Northwood University-Midland

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What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Michigan

If you’re still undecided on your major, you should consider the jobs with the most career potential in the state. As of May 2022, the top industries in Michigan are office and administrative support occupations, production, transportation and material moving, sales, and food preparation and serving.

Also, Michigan’s fastest-growing careers for those with bachelor’s degrees include medical and health services managers, film and video editors, logisticians, data scientists, and agents and talent managers.

As for the state’s top employers, this list includes notable organizations such as General Motors, the University of Michigan, and Henry Ford Hospital.

What’s Next?

There are plenty of financial aid opportunities available for Michigan students. The following federal and state resources can connect you with grants, scholarships, and other forms of financial aid if you’re attending school in the state:

  • Michigan Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning. This agency administers MI Student Aid, which provides student loans, scholarships, and grants for college students in Michigan.
  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Provided by the U.S. Department of Education, FAFSA is the main form students use to apply for financial aid for college. To determine if you’re eligible for aid, submit a completed FAFSA form online.
  • CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder. This tool will show you available scholarships, grants, and loans and can be filtered by state and degree type. It includes information such as dollar amounts, how to apply, qualifications, deadlines, and contact details.

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