Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2023

Published: Mar 24, 2021
Updated: Sep 8, 2023

Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Michigan provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.

Oakland University 92%
Grand Valley State University 92%
Michigan Technological University 86%
Ferris State University 85%
Eastern Michigan University 85%
Michigan State University 83%
Western Michigan University 83%
Saginaw Valley State University 78%
Central Michigan University 77%
University of Michigan–Flint 74%

Schoolcraft College 21 to 1
Henry Ford College 21 to 1
Northern Michigan University 20 to 1
Oakland University 19 to 1
Central Michigan University 18 to 1
Western Michigan University 18 to 1
Lake Superior State University 17 to 1
Saginaw Valley State University 17 to 1
Grand Valley State University 16 to 1
Michigan State University 16 to 1

Michigan Technological University $17,903
University of Michigan $16,865
Michigan State University $15,966
Eastern Michigan University $15,700
Oakland University $15,135
Grand Valley State University $13,900
Wayne State University $13,532
University of Michigan–Dearborn $13,416
Western Michigan University $13,334
Central Michigan University $13,200

University of Michigan $24,902
Michigan Technological University $22,725
Michigan State University $19,714
Oakland University $19,323
Grand Valley State University $17,904
Wayne State University $16,920
Western Michigan University $16,884
Eastern Michigan University $16,562
Saginaw Valley State University $15,748
Central Michigan University $15,194

Lake Michigan College
Henry Ford College
Jackson College
Alpena Community College
Northwestern Michigan College
Schoolcraft College
Lake Superior State University
Saginaw Valley State University
University of Michigan–Flint
University of Michigan–Dearborn

University of Michigan 20%
Wayne State University 63%
University of Michigan–Dearborn 69%
Northern Michigan University 71%
Lake Superior State University 73%
University of Michigan–Flint 74%
Central Michigan University 77%
Saginaw Valley State University 78%
Western Michigan University 83%
Michigan State University 83%

University of Michigan 11 to 1
Alpena Community College 13 to 1
Michigan Technological University 13 to 1
Northwestern Michigan College 14 to 1
Lake Michigan College 14 to 1
University of Michigan–Flint 14 to 1
Wayne State University 15 to 1
Eastern Michigan University 15 to 1
Ferris State University 15 to 1
Jackson College 15 to 1

Henry Ford College $4,428
Schoolcraft College $4,732
Jackson College $5,700
Lake Michigan College $6,900
Alpena Community College $7,260
Northwestern Michigan College $7,488
Saginaw Valley State University $11,130
University of Michigan–Flint $11,868
Northern Michigan University $12,386
Ferris State University $12,740

Ferris State University $8,232
Northern Michigan University $9,792
University of Michigan–Flint $12,227
University of Michigan–Dearborn $14,110
Central Michigan University $15,194
Saginaw Valley State University $15,748
Eastern Michigan University $16,562
Western Michigan University $16,884
Wayne State University $16,920
Grand Valley State University $17,904

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Michigan

With over 80 public and private colleges to choose from, students hoping to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree can find a program that suits their educational needs and budget. Michigan State University and the University of Michigan are the two largest schools, both serving around 42,000 students and costing $16,000 in tuition. Most of the schools in The Wolverine State, however, serve smaller student populations, with tuition fees ranging from $3,000 to $49,000.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Additionally, students pursuing their degree at a school with religious affiliations have more than 20 options to choose from, including Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Grand Rapid’s Calvin College, and Hope College in Holland. Students attending one of Michigan’s private schools, like Davenport University, can earn their degrees in fields like nursing, education, criminal justice, and history. Michigan, like many other states, also provides a special loan forgiveness program to those in medical, dental, and mental health professions who work in underserved communities. Recipients can receive up to $200,000 of tax-free funds over an eight-year period.

The great state of Michigan famously serves as the major hub of the United States auto industry - and also boasts the longest freshwater coastline in the nation. Students who love the outdoors but are also drawn to the metropolitan energy of big cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids will feel very much at home in Michigan.

To find your degree program, explore some of the top schools in Michigan.

What are Michigan’s Colleges & Universities?

Michigan’s Best Overall

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.

This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 21 public universities in Michigan. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Michigan, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.

How do we determine Michigan's best public colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2022

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Michigan’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.

Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2023

10 Best Public Colleges in Michigan

Colleges and Universities in Michigan

What are Michigan’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2022

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Wayne State University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Western Michigan University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Most Influential Alumni

Oakland University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Eastern Michigan University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Northern Michigan University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Grand Valley State University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Ferris State University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

University of Michigan–Flint’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Michigan’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

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