2027 Best Value Value Schools in Michigan

[Value](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
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2027 Best Value Value Schools in Michigan
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
For return on investment in value, no school beat University Of Michigan Flint this year. Set in the city of Flint, University Of Michigan Flint is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,236, with out-of-state students paying around $27,790. Value graduates carry a median of $31,016 in student loans. Value graduates of University Of Michigan Flint earn a median of $62,493 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Jackson Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the rural area of Jackson, Jackson Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,350, while out-of-state students pay about $10,200. Students borrow a median of $16,960 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Jackson Community College generally make around $41,322. Set against $16,960 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Wayne State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value value schools. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,159, with out-of-state students paying around $34,650. Value graduates carry a median of $30,750 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $50,539. Set against $30,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Saginaw Valley State University earned it the #4 place for value. Saginaw Valley State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of University Center. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,930, with out-of-state students paying around $30,450. Typical student debt for value graduates is $28,091. Early-career value graduates make about $48,561. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Northern Michigan University, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,322, with out-of-state students paying around $19,944. Value graduates carry a median of $22,608 in student loans. Value graduates of Northern Michigan University earn a median of $40,508 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Michigan University admits about 84% of applicants.
Western Michigan University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value value schools. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,981 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Western Michigan University generally make around $58,501. That is a strong return on a $27,981 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Eastern Michigan University came in at #7 for value in value this year. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,990. Value graduates carry a median of $28,781 in student loans. Value graduates of Eastern Michigan University earn a median of $60,337 early in their careers. Set against $28,781 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Grand Valley State University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value value schools. Located in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,502 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,894. Students borrow a median of $25,697 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Grand Valley State University generally make around $46,843. That is a strong return on a $25,697 median debt. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
Central Michigan University placed #9 among the best values for value. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. Students borrow a median of $27,500 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $56,767. Set against $27,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.