State Rankings

Best Colleges in Michigan

Top colleges in Michigan ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50

Avg grad earnings: $52,184

Public / Private: 31 / 19

Top Colleges in Michigan

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	University of Michigan Ann Arbor#32 national	Public	$83,648	17.9%	1,473	93.2%	$58,072
2	Michigan State East Lansing#165 national	Public	$67,253	83.9%	1,261	82.2%	$43,372
3	Kettering University Flint#187 national	Private	$94,823	79.1%	1,219	70.5%	$46,380
4	Michigan Technological University Houghton#188 national	Public	$78,198	87.9%	1,243	68.7%	$41,340
5	University of Detroit Mercy Detroit#226 national	Private	$71,030	80.1%	1,136	68.1%	$32,300
6	Calvin University Grand Rapids#277 national	Private	$58,375	71.3%	1,205	77.4%	$38,670
7	Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo#292 national	Private	$65,590	76.2%	1,270	81.7%	$58,764
8	University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn#328 national	Public	$59,649	58.6%	1,127	56.5%	$31,360
9	Hillsdale College Hillsdale#352 national	Private	N/A	20.6%	1,433	84.8%	$32,092
10	Oakland University Rochester Hills#461 national	Public	$58,612	70.2%	1,110	56.9%	$23,188
11	Hope College Holland#470 national	Private	$58,427	75.8%	1,237	82.3%	$40,420
12	Lawrence Technological University Southfield#511 national	Private	$69,151	80.3%	N/A	62.6%	$41,872
13	Grand Valley State University Allendale#545 national	Public	$56,118	94.7%	1,079	68.7%	$20,820
14	Northwood University Midland#582 national	Private	$63,075	83.9%	N/A	61.1%	$33,000
15	Wayne State University Detroit#596 national	Public	$53,493	82.0%	1,147	56.5%	$30,419
16	Alma College Alma#635 national	Private	$54,742	65.7%	N/A	63.7%	$47,430
17	Andrews University Berrien Springs#642 national	Private	$53,187	87.4%	1,177	65.9%	$33,710
18	Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant#654 national	Public	$55,874	91.0%	1,099	61.8%	$14,190
19	Western Michigan University Kalamazoo#697 national	Public	$53,562	84.7%	1,108	57.8%	$19,098
20	Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor#751 national	Private	$51,732	37.3%	1,072	59.9%	$32,580
21	Saginaw Valley State University University Center#755 national	Public	$51,955	72.9%	1,051	53.8%	$28,752
22	Albion College Albion#769 national	Private	$58,799	83.2%	N/A	57.1%	$55,746
23	Siena Heights University Adrian#799 national	Private	$57,529	66.6%	1,033	51.1%	$29,778
24	University of Michigan-Flint Flint#800 national	Public	$53,230	68.8%	1,104	44.6%	$31,274
25	Madonna University Livonia#840 national	Private	$59,058	92.9%	1,000	58.1%	$27,360
26	Aquinas College Grand Rapids#848 national	Private	$49,584	71.1%	1,087	62.5%	$38,520
27	Ferris State University Big Rapids#849 national	Public	$54,735	80.6%	1,001	47.9%	$13,630
28	Cornerstone University Grand Rapids#899 national	Private	$47,314	73.2%	N/A	61.6%	$29,100
29	Lake Superior State University Sault Ste Marie#922 national	Public	$49,045	68.0%	N/A	56.9%	$14,266
30	Monroe County Community College Monroe#991 national	Public	$41,646	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,224
31	Macomb Community College Warren#992 national	Public	$41,596	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,220
32	Adrian College Adrian#1025 national	Private	$55,504	68.4%	1,030	56.0%	$40,556
33	Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo#1110 national	Public	$38,618	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,876
34	College for Creative Studies Detroit#1119 national	Private	$44,860	92.8%	N/A	69.6%	$51,355
35	Northern Michigan University Marquette#1141 national	Public	$47,107	70.0%	N/A	50.8%	$18,800
36	Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor#1158 national	Public	$39,449	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,336
37	Lansing Community College Lansing#1182 national	Public	$39,206	N/A	N/A	N/A	$11,030
38	St Clair County Community College Port Huron#1217 national	Public	$40,177	N/A	N/A	N/A	$11,826
39	Gogebic Community College Ironwood#1243 national	Public	$40,950	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,318
40	Kellogg Community College Battle Creek#1246 national	Public	$38,329	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,902
41	Delta College University Center#1260 national	Public	$37,781	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,550
42	Concordia University Ann Arbor Ann Arbor#1292 national	Private	$56,075	72.1%	1,250	50.0%	$34,200
43	Oakland Community College Auburn Hills#1293 national	Public	$37,395	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,560
44	Muskegon Community College Muskegon#1342 national	Public	$36,549	N/A	N/A	N/A	$15,390
45	West Shore Community College Scottville#1370 national	Public	$36,115	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,670
46	Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti#1379 national	Public	$51,793	81.3%	1,046	45.5%	$15,510
47	North Central Michigan College Petoskey#1391 national	Public	$36,594	N/A	N/A	N/A	$10,247
48	Montcalm Community College Sidney#1491 national	Public	$35,499	N/A	N/A	N/A	$12,420
49	Alpena Community College Alpena#1546 national	Public	$36,442	N/A	N/A	50.2%	$7,800
50	Glen Oaks Community College Centreville#1549 national	Public	$37,540	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,576

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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