Michigan

Average student debt in Michigan — 26 colleges, and what their graduates earn

Every Michigan university with published federal figures, ordered by how fast the debt clears. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.

#UniversityGradeYou borrowMonthlyYou earnDebt clears in
1 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Michigan A $19,500 $222 $83,648 0.4 yrs
2 Kettering University Michigan A $27,000 $307 $94,823 0.5 yrs
3 Walsh College Michigan A $16,217 $184 $72,081 0.5 yrs
4 Michigan Technological University Michigan B $24,990 $284 $78,198 0.7 yrs
5 University of Detroit Mercy Michigan B $23,250 $264 $71,030 0.7 yrs
6 Michigan State University Michigan B $23,250 $264 $67,253 0.8 yrs
7 Lawrence Technological University Michigan B $27,000 $307 $69,151 0.9 yrs
8 Kalamazoo College Michigan C $26,077 $296 $65,590 1 yrs
9 University of Michigan - Dearborn Michigan C $22,500 $256 $59,649 1.1 yrs
10 Oakland University Michigan C $22,750 $259 $58,612 1.2 yrs
11 Ferris State University Michigan C $21,000 $239 $54,735 1.4 yrs
12 Albion College Michigan C $27,000 $307 $58,799 1.4 yrs
13 Hope College Michigan C $26,800 $305 $58,427 1.4 yrs
14 Grand Valley State University Michigan C $24,500 $279 $56,118 1.5 yrs
15 Wayne State University Michigan C $21,250 $242 $53,493 1.5 yrs
16 Central Michigan University Michigan C $27,000 $307 $55,874 1.7 yrs
17 Alma College Michigan D $27,000 $307 $54,742 1.8 yrs
18 University of Michigan–Flint Michigan D $25,000 $284 $53,230 1.8 yrs
19 Western Michigan University Michigan D $26,188 $298 $53,562 1.9 yrs
20 Andrews University Michigan D $26,000 $296 $53,187 1.9 yrs
21 Saginaw Valley State University Michigan D $25,000 $284 $51,955 2 yrs
22 Eastern Michigan University Michigan D $25,000 $284 $51,793 2 yrs
23 Aquinas College Michigan D $23,000 $262 $49,584 2.3 yrs
24 Lake Superior State University Michigan D $23,250 $264 $49,045 2.4 yrs
25 Northern Michigan University Michigan F $21,474 $244 $47,107 2.8 yrs
26 Davenport University Michigan F $26,000 $296 $45,099 4.7 yrs

In-state tuition is the lever that moves this most

The debt column is shaped far more by residency and institutional aid than by anything else. If you are applying from another state or another country, the figures here understate what you would borrow — check the university's own net price for your situation.

Read the salary next to the debt, never alone

Two universities in this state with identical graduate salaries can be two grades apart, because one leaves students owing twice as much. The payback column is the one that combines both.

Questions

Which university in Michigan pays back fastest?
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor — $83,648 median earnings against $19,500 of debt, clearing in about 0.4 years.
How much do US students typically borrow?
Across the 810 universities we grade, median debt at graduation is $22,500 — about $256 a month on the standard ten-year federal plan.
Can scholarships change these numbers?
Directly. Every award comes off the borrowing before you ever repay it, which shortens the payback on each university page. Each page lists the scholarships we hold for that institution.

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.