Here Are The Best Colleges In Michigan, According To Niche

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is the best college in Michigan, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, 20 colleges in Michigan were ranked among the best.

More than 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities were ranked in the 2026 Best Colleges in America.

The top five colleges in Michigan are:

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 18 percent
Net price: $19,005
SAT range: 1350-1530

2. Michigan State University

Overall Niche grade: A
Acceptance rate: 84 percent
Net price: $24,630
SAT range: 1150-1350

3. Michigan Technological University

Overall Niche grade: A
Acceptance rate: 88 percent
Net price: $17,928
SAT range: 1120-1330

4. Hope College

Overall Niche grade: A-
Acceptance rate: 76 percent
Net price: $28,643
SAT range: 1090-1310

5. Wayne State University

Overall Niche grade: A-
Acceptance rate: 82 percent
Net price: $16,021
SAT range: 1040-1260

Other Michigan schools and their rankings can be found on the Niche website here.

Niche also ranked the best colleges for athletics, student life, dorm life and other aspects of college life that are important to students.

Other Michigan schools found on the Niche website that earned an A ranking in various categories include:

• Andrews University - Academics, Diversity, Campus Food and Safety
• University of Michigan - Dearborn - Diversity, Professors and Safety
• Oakland University - Dorms, Location, Campus Food and Safety
• Calvin University - Academics and Diversity
• University of Michigan - Flint - Value and Professors
• Spring Arbor University - Dorms and Safety
• Grand Valley State University - Athletics and Student life
• Central Michigan University - Party scene, Professors and Student life
• University of Detroit Mercy - Diversity and Value
• Ferris State University - Athletics, Party Scene and Professors
• Western Michigan University - Diversity, Party Scene, Campus Food and Student Life
• Kalamazoo College - Diversity and Professors
• Saginaw Valley State University - Campus, Dorms and Campus Food
• Cleary University - Diversity, Dorms and Safety
• Kettering University - Value

2026 Best Colleges in America

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3. Stanford University, Stanford, California
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Dartmouth University, Hanover, New Hampshire

2026 Colleges with the Best Student Life in America

1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
2. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
3. University of California, Los Angeles
4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

2026 Best College Athletics in America

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
4. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
5. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

“We built Niche to help students and families cut through the noise and make informed choices,” Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a news release. “Our rankings are designed to reflect not just data, but the real voices and lived experiences of students across the country. That blend of insight is what makes Niche unique. We’re giving students the clarity to identify the colleges where they see themselves belonging and succeeding.”

Niche’s rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation; enrollment, graduation, and alumni earnings statistics; and more than 1 million college reviews from students and alumni. More about the methodology is found on the website.

• Related: Forbes Names 20 Colleges ‘New Ivies,’ Notes Employers Prefer Them