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Most affordable public universities in Michigan

21 public universities in Michigan report net price data, ranging from $738 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $15,144. Michigan's public universities run a bit higher than the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in Michigan

$15,144

National median for public universities

$10,692

public universities reporting in Michigan

21

The most affordable public universities in Michigan, ranked by net price

1

Henry Ford College

MI

Net price

$738

Receive grant aid

78%

2

Net price

$4,091

Receive grant aid

78%

3

Bay Mills Community College

MI

Net price

$5,698

Receive grant aid

100%

4

Northwestern Michigan College

MI

Net price

$5,831

Receive grant aid

72%

5

Schoolcraft Community College District

MI

Net price

$7,271

Receive grant aid

73%

6

Jackson College

MI

Net price

$8,361

Receive grant aid

77%

7

University of Michigan-Flint

MI

Net price

$12,344

Receive grant aid

95%

8

University of Michigan-Dearborn

MI

Net price

$12,798

Receive grant aid

96%

9

Ferris State University

MI

Net price

$13,154

Receive grant aid

97%

10

Lake Superior State University

MI

Net price

$14,345

Receive grant aid

89%

11

Saginaw Valley State University

MI

Net price

$15,144

Receive grant aid

98%

12

Oakland University

MI

Net price

$15,734

Receive grant aid

92%

13

Central Michigan University

MI

Net price

$15,826

Receive grant aid

95%

14

Wayne State University

MI

Net price

$16,021

Receive grant aid

95%

15

Eastern Michigan University

MI

Net price

$17,388

Receive grant aid

95%

16

Michigan Technological University

MI

Net price

$17,928

Receive grant aid

97%

17

Northern Michigan University

MI

Net price

$17,937

Receive grant aid

92%

18

Grand Valley State University

MI

Net price

$17,995

Receive grant aid

86%

19

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

MI

Net price

$19,005

Receive grant aid

55%

20

Western Michigan University

MI

Net price

$20,183

Receive grant aid

91%

21

Michigan State University

MI

Net price

$24,630

Receive grant aid

96%

What makes a school affordable here

In Michigan, the most affordable public universities share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At Henry Ford College, the most affordable on this list, 78% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in Michigan, other types

Affordable public universities in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →