POPULATION (2021): 10 million
CAPITAL: Lansing
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN Michigan: Michigan State University
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN Michigan: Hope College
Michigan is a state that borders Canada, and its biggest city, Detroit, is a bit further north than Toronto, Ontario. With that, it’s pretty cold in the winter, but there is a lot to do for college students!
The college landscape is dominated by public schools, which are spread throughout the populous northern state. Winter sports like snowmobiling are popular with the outdoors folks, and those who attend school near one of the several large cities can expect a lot of good food, warm people, and a community feel.
Universities in Michigan – 4-Year Colleges and Online
The largest private 4-year college in Michigan is Hope College, and it only has 3,000 students. With that in mind, Michigan’s public university program is very robust and serves students all across the state. Here is a closer look at the universities and colleges in Michigan.
Public Universities in Michigan
The two largest public universities in Michigan are rivals in size, sports, academics, school spirit, and anything else you can think of. For sports fans, a weekend in Lansing (Michigan State) or Ann Arbor (University of Michigan) during football or basketball season is a surefire way to experience major-university college life, even if you happen to be attending one of the several other public universities elsewhere in the state.
Here is a list of the other public universities in Michigan:
- Wayne State University
- Western Michigan University
- Oakland University
- Eastern Michigan University
- Central Michigan University
- Michigan Technological University
- Grand Valley State University
- Ferris State University
- University of Michigan – Flint
Private Universities in Michigan
Compared to other midwestern states, Michigan does not have any large-scale private universities, but it does have several small ones that offer students a relaxed campus feel and more time with professors. Here is a list
- Baker College
- Calvin University
- Cornerstone University
- Davenport University
- Kettering University
- Lawerence Tech
- Madonna University
- Northern Michigan University
- Saginaw Valley State University
- Siena Heights University
- Spring Arbor University
- University of Michigan – Dearborn
- Concordia University
Community Colleges in Michigan
The Michigan Community College System is very large, and its prominence across the state is one of the reasons there aren’t very many private universities. There are 22 community colleges spread across Michigan with the largest being Macomb CC with 16,000 students.
Prominent Online Colleges in Michigan
All of Michigan’s public universities offer online programs, with the University of Michigan, Oakland University, Wayne State, and Ferris State all receiving high ratings year over year for their online offerings.
Universities in Detroit, MI
Detroit is Michigan’s largest city and also serves as one of the key ports of entry for both people and goods moving to and from Canada. It also has a few 4-year colleges! Here they are:
- College for Creative Studies
- The University of Detroit Mercy
- Wayne State University
Universities in Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids is a growing city east of Lake Michigan that rests on both sides of the Grand River about 10 miles inland from where the river meets the lake. In addition to all of the fun to be had on and around the lake, Grand Rapids is also less than an hour from Lansing, home to Michigan State University and all of the entertainment that accompanies a state’s largest university. Here are the schools in Grand Rapids:
- Aquinas College
- Calvin University
- Compass College of Cinematic Arts
- Cornerstone University
- Davenport University
- Kuyper College
Get to Know Michigan
If you enjoy a nice day on the water, Michigan might just be the place for you to attend college. With more than 11,000 miles of shoreline, including the lakes and rivers, watersports are a big part of the weekends for most Michiganders. The winters don’t stop a lot of them, as snowmobiling, skiing, and ice fishing are very popular in the winter.
Trade with Canada is a large part of Michigan’s economy, and the accessibility to the Great North is also appealing to many people who live in Michigan.
Sports are another big part of the state’s identity, with teams in every top-tier professional league represented in Detroit, and Michigan State and the University of Michigan supplying fans with a full slate of D-1 college sports to cheer for.