College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in Michigan
If you are looking for a good value college, Michigan has some great choices. Payscale’s College ROI Report rankings for Michigan can guide you toward choosing a school that pays off. If you’re financially savvy, you’re in luck — there are many Michigan colleges with high return on investment for their alumni, meaning that they set graduates up for long, successful careers.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:21 | School Name: Calvin College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$334,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$210,000 | Graduation Rate:77% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,900 |
| Rank:22 | School Name: College for Creative Studies (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$319,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$243,000 | Graduation Rate:64% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$31,200 |
| Rank:23 | School Name: Northwood University-Michigan (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$318,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$182,000 | Graduation Rate:63% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$30,600 |
| Rank:24 | School Name: Eastern Michigan University (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$304,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$117,000 | Graduation Rate:45% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$26,100 |
| Rank:25 | School Name:Eastern Michigan University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$304,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$117,000 | Graduation Rate:45% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$26,100 |
| Rank:26 | School Name: Central Michigan University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$304,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$105,000 | Graduation Rate:62% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$28,400 |
| Rank:27 | School Name:_50px.png) Saginaw Valley State University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$295,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$97,200 | Graduation Rate:50% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$24,700 |
| Rank:28 | School Name:Central Michigan University (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$282,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$127,000 | Graduation Rate:62% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$28,400 |
| Rank:29 | School Name: University of Michigan-Flint (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$266,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$105,000 | Graduation Rate:46% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$24,200 |
| Rank:30 | School Name: Alma College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$253,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$234,000 | Graduation Rate:62% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$39,500 |
Kettering University in Flint is a private college that was founded in 1919 as The School of Automotive Trades, but was also known as the General Motors Institute for many years. Even though the school doesn’t only focus on the automotive industry, it focuses almost exclusively on science, technology, engineering, math and business subjects, so it is no wonder that Kettering alumni go on to earn such high salaries and see such great ROIs after they graduate. Many CEOs of car companies, especially General Motors, are Kettering alumni.
The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is not only the biggest college in the state, with a student body of more than 43,000 students, but it is also earns a place as one of the best value colleges in Michigan. The University of Michigan is the alma mater of President Gerald Ford, Google cofounder Larry Page, playwright Arthur Miller and actor James Earl Jones.
Rounding out the very top of the list of best value schools in Michigan is Lawrence Technological University. Another private, tech-heavy school, Lawrence offers almost exclusively STEM majors, including engineering, architecture and design, science and business management — no wonder the Blue Devils get such a good bang for their educational buck.
More rankings for best-value colleges:
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