(WXYZ) — The cost of education is skyrocketing. And while Michigan has some of the best public universities in the country, with room and board included, the cost can even top $100,000.
It’s a big investment, one where you’ll definitely want to get the biggest bang for your buck. If paying for college is in your future, we’re helping you stretch your dollar.
We checked in with Payscale.com to run down the seven Michigan colleges and universities with the highest-paid graduates in our Thursday's Top 7.
#7 Albion College (Albion, MI)
Coming in at #7 is Albion College. It’s the only liberal arts school to make the list. Alumni here make a median annual salary of $52,100 in their first five years on the job. With 10 years or more experience, that shoots up to $99,300 a year.
#6 University of Michigan Dearborn (Dearborn)
UM Dearborn takes the 6th spot. Most of the students here commute to school. Salaries for early career grads top reach $55,300 a year. Median mid-career earners come in just under $99,500.
#5 Michigan State University (Lansing)
Spartie grads are seeing green! While young Michigan State graduates bring in $55,300 a year, median salaries for seasoned alumni is just under $101,000 a year. Some of the highest earners are those with science and tech degrees. MSU comes in 5th.
#4 Lawrence Technological University (Southfield)
Fourth on our list is Lawrence Tech here in Southfield. Lawrence Tech actually got its start with help from Henry and Edsel Ford 85 years ago.
Today, 60 percent of students here graduate with science and technology degrees. Midpoint salaries hit almost $58,000 for early grads and $108,000 for mid-career alum.
No surprise to Lawrence Tech students.
“When I first started looking at the school, the average salary for most of the engineers was pretty high”, says Lawrence Tech student Zane Anderson.
#3 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan wolverines claw their way to the 3rd spot. Median salaries top $63,000 for recent grads and $112,000 for mid-career alumni. And 45 percent say their work makes the world a better place.
#2 Michigan Technological University (Houghton)
Michigan Technological University is the northernmost four-year school in Michigan. It’s almost at the top of the Upper Peninsula, and it’s almost at the top of our list. The midpoint for early career salaries is $65,000. The midpoint for seasoned pros is more than $116,000. No school in Michigan graduates a higher percentage of science, technology and engineering degrees.
#1 Kettering University
The top spot goes to Kettering University in Flint. Kettering specializes in STEM and business fields. And all undergraduate students are required to complete at least five co-op terms to graduate. That hands-on experience pushes the median salaries for young grads to nearly $70,000 a year and mid-career to $125,000.
That’s top in Michigan!
