Why This Matters

  • MICHIGAN HAS 33 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

    There are currently 33 community colleges in Michigan with two-year associate degree programs, as reported by College Navigator.

  • $4,263 AVERAGE TUITION FOR IN-DISTRICT STUDENTS

    According to data from College Board, community college students in Michigan paid an average of $4,263 in tuition and fees for the 2022-23 academic year.

  • 452,493 COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

    According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 452,493 community college students — or 80.6% — received financial aid in some form, such as grants, loans, or scholarships, for the 2019-20 academic year.

Our Research

This list features some of the best community colleges in Michigan. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included small, midsize, and large colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others 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), a reputable organization that examines objectives, quality and overall effectiveness of education programs throughout the United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Community Colleges in Michigan

Best Community Colleges In Michigan Badge 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
Washtenaw Community College
01
Best Student Housing
St Clair County Community College
01
Most Customizable Degree Plans
West Shore Community College
01
Smallest Class Sizes
North Central Michigan College
01
Most Up-to-Date Facilities
Glen Oaks Community College
01
Best Athletic Scholarships
Kirtland Community College
01
Best Programs in Green Technologies
Muskegon Community College
01
Best Tribal Land Grant College
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College
01
Best Experiential Learning
Gogebic Community College
01
Most Recognized Faculty
Grand Rapids Community College
01

Mid Michigan College
01

Delta College
01

Lansing Community College
01

Kalamazoo Valley Community College
01

Mott Community College
01

Bay de Noc Community College
01

Macomb Community College
01

Oakland Community College
01

Northwestern Michigan College
01

Bay Mills Community College
01

Kellogg Community College
01

Jackson College
01

Montcalm Community College
01

Wayne County Community College District
01

Schoolcraft College

What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Michigan

Researching the highest-paying careers in Michigan that require an associate degree can help you choose the right program. Nuclear technicians and radiation therapists are ranked as the highest-paid in the state, with funeral home managers close behind. Another lucrative career in Michigan for two-year graduates is nuclear medicine technologists.

Another area to look at when choosing an associate program in Michigan is the number of projected job openings. For the 2021-31 period, it’s estimated that preschool teachers, paralegals and legal assistants, and radiologic technicians will have the most job openings.

Declining employment statistics are also helpful to know when choosing a two-year college. It’s estimated that between 2021 and 2031, nuclear technicians in Michigan will see the highest rate of job decline. Broadcast technicians and human resources assistants are two more associate-level jobs where a rapid rate of decline is anticipated.

What’s Next?

When searching for the right community college in Michigan, financial aid research should be part of the process. To help you get started, we’ve compiled state and federal student financial aid resources. These websites contain information about loans, grants, and scholarships for two-year students.

  • Michigan Student Aid. This state website has plenty of information regarding financial aid opportunities — including scholarships and loans. There are also resources to help students save and plan for their higher education.
  • Federal Student Aid. Students receive more than $120 billion annually from the U.S. Department of Education in the form of grants, scholarships, and other opportunities. Find out if you’re eligible for federal aid at FAFSA4caster, or go ahead and fill out your FAFSA form online.
  • CareerOneStop. Find application requirements, contact information, and financial aid dollar amounts at this website, which is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Financial aid opportunities can be filtered by state and degree level.