Public Bachelor's Strong 76/100

Northwestern Michigan College

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

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Traverse City, Michigan

About Northwestern Michigan College

Thinking about Northwestern Michigan College, a college in Michigan where more students graduate in Liberal Arts 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.

Northwestern Michigan College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Traverse City, Michigan. It enrolls 2,813 students (a mid-sized 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
—
Graduation
23%
Net Price
$6,231
Median Earnings (10yr)
$38,167
Enrollment
2,813
Student : Faculty
12:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

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 (4-Year Open / Online), 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.

Strong
76/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 54
Value 84
Affordability 59
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Northwestern Michigan College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
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 $6,231 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. 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
$6,231
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
21%
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 (in-state)
$5,860
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$13,476
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,600
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,850
Books & Supplies
$300
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,620
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,020
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,753

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
    $5,237
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $3,168
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $7,568
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $8,909
  • Over $110,000
    $11,630

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.

$2,241
10% percentile
$3,500
25% percentile
$12,500
Median percentile
$15,500
75% percentile
$28,229
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 $9,061 ↓ $3,439
No Pell $6,500 ↓ $6,000
Dependent students $6,500 ↓ $6,000
Independent students $10,305 ↓ $2,195
Female students $8,081 ↓ $4,419
Male students $8,000 ↓ $4,500
Pell recipients: 18.7% (2,338 students)No Pell: 13.4% (1,677 students)Dependent students: 13.4% (1,677 students)Independent students: 21.3% (2,659 students)Female students: 16.7% (2,085 students)Male students: 16.5% (2,064 students)Overall Median$12,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,500, less than completers ($12,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

23% of students who start here finish within six years, and 83% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. 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
23%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
83%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $38,167 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,167
Earning > $25K
65%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$34,500$35,500$36,500$37,500$38,5006 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
$28,100

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

Male graduates
$42,200

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$30,000

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

Family income (middle third)
$34,400

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

Family income (highest third)
$45,200

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $14,100, about 33% 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 ↑ 22.4 pts across 6 years
52.9%1yr60.9%3yr65.6%5yr75.3%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 75% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,813 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 38% are the first in their family to go to college, and 57% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
2,813
Part-Time
57%
First-Generation
38%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
White 76.8% 2,160
Other 5.7% 159
Hispanic 5.4% 152
Black 1.6% 46
Asian 1.4% 38
International 0.2% 6
White: 76.8% (2,160 students)Other: 5.7% (159 students)Hispanic: 5.4% (152 students)Black: 1.6% (46 students)Asian: 1.4% (38 students)International: 0.2% (6 students)Total2,813

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Small City Traverse City, Michigan
Housing
Partly residential 511 beds available
Adult Learners
28% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

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

Northwestern Michigan College offers a varied set of programs: 38 distinct programs across 17 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.

1 Program
5 Programs
2 Programs
5 Programs
4 Programs
2 Programs
2 Programs
2 Programs

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
Instruction / Student
$8,671
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$19M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$88,276
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

79 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
No Rank 79 100% $88,276

Pros & Cons of Northwestern Michigan College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Northwestern Michigan 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
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Northwestern Michigan College is a fit for families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwestern Michigan College

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

How much does Northwestern Michigan College cost?
Budget around $6,231 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 Northwestern Michigan College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $38,167 a year against a net price of $6,231, about 6.1 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 Northwestern Michigan College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Marine Transportation. 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 Northwestern Michigan College graduates earn?
About $38,167 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 Northwestern Michigan College accredited?
Yes. Northwestern Michigan College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Northwestern Michigan College?
2,813 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Northwestern Michigan College?
23% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Northwestern Michigan College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Northwestern Michigan College located?
Northwestern Michigan College is located in Traverse City, Michigan.
What programs does Northwestern Michigan College offer?
38 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Marine Transportation. 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 Northwestern Michigan College?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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