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Is North Central Michigan College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for North Central Michigan, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
North Central Michigan sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $36,594 helps, but median debt of $14,000 plus yearly net price of $10,083 creates a tighter path. For context, North Central Michigan's net price runs about 40% above the typical 2-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 791 similar 2-year, public schools
This school
$10,545
/yrAverage school like this
$7,555
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $2,990 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $12,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$10,083
Median earnings 10 years out
$36,594
Median debt at graduation
$14,000
Graduation rate
27%
At North Central Michigan, a typical graduate carries about $14,000 in student debt and earns roughly $36,594 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $159 per month, or 5% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $5,206 less than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
62% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
North Central Michigan is a two year school in Petoskey, MI. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
2-year
P&A Scholars Beauty School
Detroit, MI
Worth-It Score: 64/100
Median net price: $10,068
2-year
Glen Oaks Community
Centreville, MI
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $8,918
2-year
Bay de Noc Community
Escanaba, MI
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $11,949
2-year
Grand Rapids Community
Grand Rapids, MI
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $8,621
2-year
Protege Academy
East Lansing, MI
Worth-It Score: 71/100
Median net price: $12,179
Common questions about North Central Michigan
The median net price at North Central Michigan is $10,083 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at community colleges options in Michigan? See the most affordable community colleges in Michigan →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →