Oakland University
Oakland University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Oakland University Featured Rankings
- #3 Online Master’s in Forensics
- #4 Michigan's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #7 Best Colleges in Michigan
- #7 Best Research Universities in Michigan 2026
- #7 Best Online MBAs Michigan
- #7 Michigan's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #7 Best Grad Schools in Michigan 2026
- #7 Most Affordable Colleges in Michigan 2026
- #7 Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2026
- #15 Online Master’s in Nursing-MSN
- #16 Best Online RN-to-BSN
- #20 Online Master’s in Engineering Management
About Oakland University
According to Wikipedia, Oakland University is a public research university in Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, Michigan. Founded in 1957 through a donation of Matilda Dodge Wilson, it was initially known as Michigan State University-Oakland, operating under the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, before gaining institutional independence from the board in 1970.
Oakland University's Online Degrees
Graduate Certificate in Business Essentials
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year
- Format: Fully online
MS in Safety Management
- Required Credits: 32
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Autism For Multiple Disciplines
- Required Credits: 24
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder- Advanced
- Required Credits: 27
- Completion Time: 1.5-2 years
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder-Basic
- Required Credits: 27
- Completion Time: 1.5-2 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Higher Education Leadership
- Required Credits: 32
- Completion Time: 16 months
- Format: Fully online
MM in Music Education
- Required Credits: 32
- Completion Time: 18 months
- Format: Fully online
MAT in Reading And Language Arts
- Required Credits: 32
- Format: Fully online
EdS in Leadership And Managing Teams
- Required Credits: 34
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Special Education
Degree Concentrations
- Emotional Impairment
- Asperger'S Syndrome Disorder
- Required Credits: 40
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Oncology Rehabilitation
- Required Credits: 17
- Format: Fully online
MSN in Clinical Nurse Leader
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 18 months
- Format: Fully online
DNP in Nursing Practice
- Required Credits: 38
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
PhD in Nursing
- Required Credits: 48
- Completion Time: 3 years
- Format: Fully online
BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 1 year
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Emotional Impairment - Advanced
- Required Credits: 32
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Emotional Impairment - Basic
- Required Credits: 32
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
BS in Environmental Health And Safety
- Required Credits: 125
- Format: Fully online
MS in Engineering Management
- Required Credits: 35-36
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
Oakland University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,398 | 88% | 78% | 58% | 1130 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Oakland University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $16,176 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $8,052 |
| 30K - 48K | $7,889 |
| 48K - 75K | $8,905 |
| 75K - 110K | $14,945 |
| 110K+ | $19,867 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Oakland University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Oakland University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $63,565 a year, and 92% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Oakland University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 18,296 | 14,541 | 3,755 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Oakland University?
Oakland University is located at 2200 North Squirrel Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48309-4401.
How Safe is Oakland University?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Oakland University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Oakland University has a violent crime rate of 0.06% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Rochester Hills has a violent crime rate of 0.09% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 0.53%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Oakland University Known For?
Oakland University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Biology
- Anthropology
- Nursing
- Physics
- Medical
- Business
- History
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Education
- Economics
- Political Science
- Communications
- Sociology
- Literature
- Criminal Justice
- Social Work
Oakland University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Oakland University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Oakland University ranks #212 in the U.S. and #1184 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesOakland University ranks #230 in the U.S. and #909 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesOakland University ranks #232 in the U.S. and #544 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesOakland University ranks #255 in the U.S. and #971 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesOakland University ranks #263 in the U.S. and #799 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesOakland University ranks #270 in the U.S. and #734 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesOakland University ranks #272 in the U.S. and #1174 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesOakland University ranks #300 in the U.S. and #1069 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesOakland University ranks #353 in the U.S. and #1234 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesOakland University ranks #395 in the U.S. and #1117 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesOakland University ranks #399 in the U.S. and #1661 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesOakland University ranks #463 in the U.S. and #2298 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesOakland University ranks #484 in the U.S. and #1599 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesOakland University ranks #508 in the U.S. and #2252 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesOakland University ranks #508 in the U.S. and #3031 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesOakland University ranks #519 in the U.S. and #2141 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesOakland University ranks #569 in the U.S. and #2113 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesOakland University ranks #655 in the U.S. and #2244 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesOakland University ranks #687 in the U.S. and #2089 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesOakland University ranks #975 in the U.S. and #1864 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesOakland University ranks #1533 in the U.S. and #3967 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesWho Are Oakland University's Most Influential Alumni?
Oakland University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Psychology, Nursing, and Anthropology. Here are some of Oakland University's most famous alumni:
- Barbara Oakley
- A Translator, writer, engineer and teacher..
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
- A President of India from 2002 to 2007.
- Carl Levin
- An American politician .
- Janet L. Holmgren
- An American academic administrator.
- Michael Honey
- An American historian.
- Elizabeth Reaser
- An American actress.
- Hank Jones
- An American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer .
- Andrea Russell
- A Researcher.
- Richard T. Sullivan
- An American writer.
- G. Mennen Williams
- An American politician and judge .
- Tom Stanton
- An American journalist and author.
- Daniel D. Polsby
- An American lawyer.
