Private For-Profit Associate Fair 51/100

Dorsey College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Madison Heights, Michigan

About Dorsey College

Thinking about Dorsey College, a college in Michigan where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Dorsey College is a private for-profit institution offering associate degrees based in Madison Heights, Michigan. It enrolls 643 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
50.8%
Net Price
$28,525
Median Earnings (10yr)
$29,392
Enrollment
643
Student : Faculty
12:1

Accreditor Council on Occupational Education
Academic Calendar Quarter

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Fair
51/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 36
Value 4
Affordability 51
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Dorsey College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $28,525 a year on average, it sits in line with what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$28,525
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
74%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
79%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$16,990
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,604
Books & Supplies
$0
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$13,891
Total Cost of Attendance
$34,227

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $28,326
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $29,284
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $23,521
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $30,398
  • Over $110,000
    $33,377

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,626
10% percentile
$4,436
25% percentile
$13,000
Median percentile
$13,000
75% percentile
$13,969
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,500 ↓ $3,500
No Pell $9,500 ↓ $3,500
Dependent students $7,667 ↓ $5,333
Independent students $10,458 ↓ $2,542
Female students $9,500 ↓ $3,500
Male students $7,500 ↓ $5,500
Pell recipients: 17.6% (2,282 students)No Pell: 17.6% (2,282 students)Dependent students: 14.2% (1,841 students)Independent students: 19.3% (2,512 students)Female students: 17.6% (2,282 students)Male students: 13.9% (1,801 students)Overall Median$13,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,172, less than completers ($13,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

51% of students who start here finish within six years, and 51% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
51%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
51%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $29,392 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$29,392
Earning > $25K
49%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$20,000$23,000$25,000$28,000$31,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$24,200

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$30,300

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$23,000

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$28,300

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$28,300

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $6,100, about 20% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 11.0 pts across 6 years
21%1yr25.2%3yr29.1%5yr31.9%7yr
What this signals: Concerning. Only 32% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 643 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 57% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
643
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
57%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Black 63.6% 409
White 22.9% 147
Other 5.6% 36
Asian 1.9% 12
Hispanic 0.8% 5
Black: 63.6% (409 students)White: 22.9% (147 students)Other: 5.6% (36 students)Asian: 1.9% (12 students)Hispanic: 0.8% (5 students)Total643

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Dorsey College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb Madison Heights, Michigan
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
63% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarter scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Personal Services graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Dorsey College offers a focused set of programs: 9 distinct programs across 3 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

Faculty & Resources

There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$45,352
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

24 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Instructors 24 100% $45,352

Pros & Cons of Dorsey College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Dorsey College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Open admissions
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Below-average completion rate
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
Best for: Based on the data, Dorsey College is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dorsey College

The questions families ask most about Dorsey College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Dorsey College hard to get into?
Not especially. Dorsey College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Dorsey College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Dorsey College cost?
Budget around $28,525 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Dorsey College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $29,392 a year against a net price of $28,525, about 1.0 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Dorsey College known for?
Mostly Practical Nursing, Cosmetology, Medical Assisting. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Dorsey College graduates earn?
About $29,392 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Dorsey College accredited?
Yes. Dorsey College is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.
How many students attend Dorsey College?
643 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Dorsey College?
51% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Dorsey College a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is Dorsey College located?
Dorsey College is located in Madison Heights, Michigan.
What programs does Dorsey College offer?
9 different programs, most commonly Practical Nursing, Cosmetology, Medical Assisting. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Dorsey College?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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