These 15 Michigan Schools Are In Forbes’ Top 500 Colleges

Going to college is a huge decision for anyone who decides to go because your time spent in college is a large part of the path you create for the rest of your life. Of course, the classroom piece is the most important but the social aspect, the freedom, the growth, and the relationships created in college are the true prize that you get from the experience. Nonetheless, no two colleges are created equal, just like many other things in the world, there are the best and worst.

Most people will tell you that their school is better than other schools amongst and below their level because that's their alumna pride showing but realistically, some schools are much better than others. There are many factors that go into what makes a school better than others, but the classroom, social experience, and tuition costs are amongst the most important. Michigan is one of the states that has a plethora of great schools to choose from, which all specialize in different fields.

Every year, Forbes puts together a list of the best colleges in America and for years, colleges and universities in Michigan have fared well on the list. Forbes uses several different metrics to decide the rankings but things like school acceptance rate and size are not factored in. The metrics used to create the rankings are as follows:

• Alumni Salary (20%)

• Debt (15%)

• Graduation Rate (15%)

• Forbes American Leaders List (15%)

• Return On Investment (15%)

• Retention Rate (10%)

• Academic Success (10%)

This year's Forbes Top 500 Colleges in America list included 15 Michigan colleges and universities that range from the largest public institution to some of the smallest private colleges in the state. Here are the 15 Michigan colleges and universities that made the list and where they were ranked:

• University of Michigan- #29
• Michigan State University- #90
• Kalamazoo College- #178
• University of Detroit Mercy- #203
• Kettering University- #206
• Calvin University- #213
• Hope College- #260
• Wayne State University- #267
• Michigan Technological University- #320
• University of Michigan-Dearborn- #368
• Central Michigan University- #408
• Oakland University- #423
• Northwood University- #455
• Alma College- #466
• Grand Valley State University- #481

Read More: Michigan College Among Most Sober in the Country

That's quite the impressive list but the thing that stands out the most on the list is the versatility in size, expertise, surrounding community, and other important factors in the college decision. This shows that Michigan has some of the best colleges in the country and there is almost no wrong choice, just one that may work better for you than others.