Michigan is perhaps best known for being home to the Motor City, but the state's high-powered colleges and universities can match Detroit for their finely tuned performance.
Home to almost 100 colleges, including eight research universities, Michigan is a highly-favored destination for prospective college students, be they in-state, out-of-state, or even international. In fact, the Best Online Colleges in Michigan are worth looking at as well.
The Great Lake State has a lot going for it. With the most expansive freshwater coastline of any political entity in the world, Michigan is one of the best places for boating and water sports. In the winter, snow blankets the state, perfect for skiing and other outdoor adventures. You can also visit little gems like Frankenmuth, an entire German village home to the world's biggest Christmas store. And Michigan boasts lots of opportunities for sports fans: the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL all have teams in the state.
While the Great Recession hit Michigan's (especially Detroit's) economy pretty hard, the state is most definitely on the rebound. The Big Three automakers are reporting significant profits. This, along with the bevy of other successful industries like high-tech, research and development, agriculture, and transportation, mean that the job prospects for college graduates are quite good. Your job after college might seem like a distant concern, but in four or five years, you'll be thanking your past self for considering it now.
So whether it's the natural beauty of the Great Lakes, the cultural richness represented by Motown music, or the thriving economy, consider coming to (or staying in!) Michigan for your college education. In order to help you in your search, we've put together this list of the 25 Best Colleges in Michigan, which will aid you in assessing not only which schools are relevant to your interests, but also which ones are feasible financially for you and your family.
Accredited Online College Programs
Explore our featured online programs and find the right match for you today.
Our ranking is based on both academic quality (acceptance rates, endowment size, and other statistics) as well as on return on investment (how much you'll end up paying for college versus what you can expect to earn once you've graduated). With that, strap in and get your college search in gear!
Best Colleges in Michigan
See our rankings methodology page.


