College Trends

Public universities in Michigan

The College Scorecard lists 15 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Michigan, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 192,843 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $12,759 a year, lower than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $59,879 at the median institution, about the same as the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 58.6%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
15
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
192,843
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$12,759
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$59,879
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$20,500
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
58.6%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Michigan on one chart

Pick any two measures. Hover a dot to see the school; click it to open the school's page.

Interactive chart loads in your browser.

Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Michigan. Showing 15 of 15 public universities in Michigan; schools missing either value are left out.

All 15 public universities in Michigan

Michigan State University
East Lansing
40,922$21,322$17,256$44,640$74,168$20,00080.3%90.0%84.8%
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
34,177$14,362$18,346$63,962$92,832$18,51593.2%97.5%15.6%
Grand Valley State University
Allendale
18,854$16,495$15,872$22,588$60,120$22,50064.6%76.3%83.0%
Wayne State University
Detroit
15,587$11,212$15,862$33,467$59,525$19,50059.7%82.7%81.2%
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo
12,568$13,902$15,954$19,908$57,828$25,00058.6%81.1%84.6%
Oakland University
Rochester Hills
12,351$11,815$16,176$22,950$63,565$20,50058.0%77.9%87.8%
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti
10,055$16,628$17,004$17,004$55,390$24,73845.6%68.8%79.6%
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant
10,035$17,201$15,420$15,420$59,879$25,00059.1%75.4%89.8%
Ferris State University
Big Rapids
8,106$8,402$15,736$15,736$60,457$19,50044.1%77.6%91.4%
Northern Michigan University
Marquette
6,556$12,759$15,012$20,508$51,936$19,50054.0%78.0%84.0%
Saginaw Valley State University
University Center
5,989$12,147$13,680$24,000$55,838$23,70650.6%77.6%72.1%
Michigan Technological University
Houghton
5,955$13,446$19,982$44,878$84,681$23,00070.0%88.8%92.4%
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn
5,952$7,863$16,240$34,168$66,897$18,75060.5%82.5%55.6%
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint
4,411$8,320$15,354$29,630$58,635$21,87542.9%77.8%70.5%
Lake Superior State University
Sault Ste Marie
1,325$9,782$15,506$15,506$55,573$20,50049.5%78.8%n/a
Showing 15 of 15. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Michigan

How many public universities are in Michigan?
The College Scorecard lists 15 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Michigan.
What do public universities in Michigan cost?
Across the 15 schools that report it, the median average net price is $12,759 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $7,863 at University of Michigan-Dearborn to $21,322 at Michigan State University.
Which public universities in Michigan have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: University of Michigan-Dearborn ($7,863), University of Michigan-Flint ($8,320), Ferris State University ($8,402), Lake Superior State University ($9,782), and Wayne State University ($11,212).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Michigan?
The median published in-state tuition is $15,872 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $22,950. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Michigan earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $59,879 10 years after starting college (15 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ($92,832), Michigan Technological University ($84,681), and Michigan State University ($74,168).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Michigan?
The median graduation rate is 58.6%, across 15 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Michigan have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $20,500 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Michigan

Public universities in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.