Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2024

Badge for BEST IN MICHIGAN PUBLIC COLLEGES

Updated: Oct 26, 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.

University of Michigan
Michigan State University
Wayne State University
Western Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Oakland University
Michigan Technological University
Central Michigan University
Grand Valley State University
Ferris State University

Michigan Technological University 94%
Oakland University 90%
Grand Valley State University 90%
Michigan State University 88%
Ferris State University 88%
Western Michigan University 85%
Eastern Michigan University 83%
Central Michigan University 79%
Lake Superior State University 77%
Saginaw Valley State University 76%

Henry Ford College 22 to 1
Schoolcraft College 21 to 1
Northern Michigan University 18 to 1
Central Michigan University 17 to 1
Michigan State University 17 to 1
Oakland University 17 to 1
Western Michigan University 16 to 1
Saginaw Valley State University 16 to 1
University of Michigan–Dearborn 16 to 1
Grand Valley State University 15 to 1

Michigan Technological University $18,592
University of Michigan $17,454
Michigan State University $16,437
Eastern Michigan University $16,410
Oakland University $15,723
Western Michigan University $14,523
Grand Valley State University $14,302
Wayne State University $14,140
University of Michigan–Dearborn $13,920
Lake Superior State University $13,728

University of Michigan $25,894
Michigan Technological University $23,607
Michigan State University $20,202
Oakland University $20,016
Grand Valley State University $18,456
Wayne State University $17,682
Western Michigan University $17,539
Eastern Michigan University $16,857
Saginaw Valley State University $16,362
Central Michigan University $15,942

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

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

University of Michigan 18%
University of Michigan–Dearborn 54%
University of Michigan–Flint 66%
Northern Michigan University 71%
Wayne State University 75%
Saginaw Valley State University 76%
Lake Superior State University 77%
Central Michigan University 79%
Eastern Michigan University 83%
Western Michigan University 85%

Northwestern Michigan College 11 to 1
University of Michigan 12 to 1
Michigan Technological University 13 to 1
Lake Michigan College 13 to 1
Jackson College 13 to 1
Lake Superior State University 13 to 1
University of Michigan–Flint 13 to 1
Wayne State University 14 to 1
Alpena Community College 14 to 1
Eastern Michigan University 14 to 1

Henry Ford College $4,512
Schoolcraft College $4,888
Jackson College $5,970
Lake Michigan College $7,148
Alpena Community College $7,365
Northwestern Michigan College $8,364
Saginaw Valley State University $11,565
Northern Michigan University $12,096
University of Michigan–Flint $12,234
Ferris State University $13,076

Ferris State University $8,532
Northern Michigan University $10,176
University of Michigan–Flint $12,740
University of Michigan–Dearborn $14,890
Central Michigan University $15,942
Saginaw Valley State University $16,362
Eastern Michigan University $16,857
Western Michigan University $17,539
Wayne State University $17,682
Grand Valley State University $18,456

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 2023

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Michigan’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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.

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Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2024

10 Best Public Colleges in Michigan

Colleges and Universities in Michigan

What are Michigan’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2023

Career Outlook for degree at University of Michigan

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Michigan State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wayne State University

Most Influential Alumni

Wayne State University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Western Michigan University

Most Influential Alumni

Western Michigan University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Oakland University

Most Influential Alumni

Oakland University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Eastern Michigan University

Most Influential Alumni

Eastern Michigan University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Michigan Technological University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Northern Michigan University

Most Influential Alumni

Northern Michigan University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Central Michigan University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Grand Valley State University

Most Influential Alumni

Grand Valley State University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Ferris State University

Most Influential Alumni

Ferris State University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Michigan–Dearborn

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Lake Superior State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Saginaw Valley State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Michigan–Flint

Most Influential Alumni

University of Michigan–Flint’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Schoolcraft College

Career Outlook for degree at Northwestern Michigan College

Career Outlook for degree at Jackson College

Career Outlook for degree at Henry Ford College

Career Outlook for degree at Lake Michigan College

Career Outlook for degree at Alpena Community College

Michigan’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest