College Azimuth

Research brief & institution hub

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

MILarge public institution · Overall rank #16 nationally

Data snapshot Updated

Azimuth ranks University of Michigan-Ann Arbor #16 nationally.

Who it’s a good fit for

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a public university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the degree mix is led by Computer & Information Sciences, Engineering, and Social Sciences. Return is among the highest we track, and the university is a strong fit for a student who wants a large campus and expects to work after the degree.

Graduates out-earn what predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — than to what it cannot explain.

Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, so the four-year earnings figure is measured while most are already in the workforce. Pell students complete below the overall rate, and mobility is among the highest we track.

At the bottom of the income scale, aid recipients pay a fraction of the published cost; at the top, they pay much closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable institutions.

A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid ones are not always the biggest. Computer and Information Sciences leads in both size and earnings, but Research and Experimental Psychology, the second-largest, earns less than half as much.

Michigan at a glance

Admissions and outcomes

Admission rate[1]
15.6%
Six-year completion[2]
93.2%
Four-year earnings[3]
$96,159

Cost and family borrowing

Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[6]
$4,895
Median student debt[4]
$19,500
Median Parent PLUS debt[7]
$30,250

Michigan rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[5]

With 34,177 undergraduates, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a public university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The university sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Admission is selective: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor admits 15.6% of applicants, against a median of 78.1% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. For the cohort that starts full time, 97.5% continue past the first year and 93.2% finish within six years.

Both figures are well above the peer medians of 83.1% and 65.0%. An estimated 18.1% of entrants arrive as transfers, so the six-year graduation rate tracks only the first-time, full-time cohort and leaves out a large share of the student body.

Return is the strongest and affordability the weakest, with mobility and access between them. The four pillars do not sit at the same level, so the university looks different on cost and access than it does on return and mobility.

The return pillar leads for University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, landing in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility is close behind at the 97th percentile, and access reaches the 92nd percentile.

Affordability registers as the weakest pillar, in the 80th percentile, yet every pillar sits above the national median.

18.1% of undergraduates at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor receive Pell Grants, the financial-access measure for this public university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Azimuth ranks the university #115 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The pillar draws on two measures: the share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants, and the distance between the completion rates for those students and the entering cohort as a whole. Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort complete at 86.8%, a rate which sits below the overall six-year graduation rate (93.2%) by 6.4 percentage points.

For mobility, Azimuth ranks University of Michigan-Ann Arbor #44 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $21,484 more than the model expects for similar students, which is the earnings side of the mobility picture here.

How value-added outcomes are assessed · How to interpret program rankings

Michigan rankings in context
GeographyRank
National#16

Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group.

National pillar percentiles

Economic mobility
National percentile: 97
Access & reach
National percentile: 92
Affordability
National percentile: 80
Return on investment
National percentile: 99

Top-ranked majors

  1. Information Science/Studies#2
  2. Fine and Studio Arts#2
  3. Business Administration, Management and Operations#2

This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ.

Explore major rankings

01 / Michigan briefing

Michigan cost & financial aid[6][7]

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor publishes a cost of attendance of $34,654. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported sticker charges of $66,602 in out-of-state tuition, $494 in required fees, and $17,220 for on-campus food and housing.

After financial aid, the average net price for aid recipients is $13,138, a savings of $21,516 against the sticker price. That sits below the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $2,496.

Azimuth ranks the university #288 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The published cost of attendance at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is $34,654. Azimuth ranks the university #288 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $1,043, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $4,895, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $26,517. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $25,474.

Aid covers about 62% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the overall average net price to $13,138. That is $2,496 below the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Borrowers who finish carry a median of $19,500 in federal student loans, $576 below the peer median of $20,076. About 79.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans.

Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $30,250 in Parent PLUS loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month.

Your family income

Choose a household income range to see estimated net price.

Reported average annual net price · $48–75K$4,895

After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.

Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.

Borrowing and repayment at Michigan

The median federal student debt for borrowers who complete a degree at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is $19,500. That median is below the $20,076 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $576.

About 79.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. The median Parent PLUS debt, tracked for a separate parent-borrower population, is $30,250.

In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 31% of graduates borrowed from any source, averaging $29,244 per borrower. Federal loans were held by 30% of graduates, averaging $17,980, including 6% who also held private loans averaging $58,285.

The investment picture at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is shaped by earnings that run well ahead of both the peer median and the model's expectation. Borrowing stays close to the peer norm.

Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $96,159, at the 96th percentile nationally. That is $30,549 above the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Graduates earn about $21,484 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome at the 97th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, show a typical outcome of $96,159, with a downside case at $59,727 and an upside case reaching $153,559.

The median federal student debt at completion is $19,500, $576 below the $20,076 peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years.

Median Parent PLUS borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $30,250. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $222.

How Financial GPS measures payment burden · The four risk-and-reward zones

Financial GPS

What does repayment look like?

Institution median student debt
$19,500
Institution Parent PLUS debt
$30,250

Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.

Estimated student payment · monthly
$222/mo
Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly
$384/mo

Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s.

Payment assumptions

Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates.

Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS
Read the full cost & aid brief

02 / Michigan briefing

Michigan career outcomes & earnings[3][8][9]

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor reports median earnings of $96,159 four years after completion. That institution-wide figure is a starting point; results for particular fields can differ.

Read earnings alongside retention and completion. Earnings among completers do not include every student who entered the institution, while the lower and higher planning estimates describe modeled mixes of program outcomes rather than observed salary percentiles.

What explains value-added earnings?
Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.
+$14,303
Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.
+$7,181
Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.
+$21,484

These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.

Read the full outcomes brief

03 / Michigan briefing

Michigan acceptance rate & admissions[1][10][11]

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor admits 15.6% of applicants, a rate far below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 109,112 applicants, 17,915 admitted students, and 8,178 enrolled first-year students.

SAT: reported composite scores
Admission rate
15.6%
25th percentile
1370
Median
1470
75th percentile
1530

CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff.

Read the full admissions brief

04 / Michigan briefing

What are the largest majors at Michigan?[12]

The largest program records at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, by reported degrees awarded, are: Computer and Information Sciences, General (1,070 awards); Research and Experimental Psychology (714 awards); Economics (618 awards); Business Administration, Management and Operations (598 awards); Mechanical Engineering (275 awards). These counts describe degree output in the source reporting period, not current enrollment or unique people.

Among those larger programs, reported median earnings four years after completion include Computer and Information Sciences, General at $172,904; Research and Experimental Psychology at $67,537; Economics at $110,552. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.

Keep individual program records separate from broader degree categories and from records for other reporting periods. Those views can describe different parts of the university’s academic mix.

Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields
Computer and Information Sciences, General 1,070 degrees awarded
$172,904
Research and Experimental Psychology 714 degrees awarded
$67,537
Economics 618 degrees awarded
$110,552
Business Administration, Management and Operations 598 degrees awarded
$144,654
Mechanical Engineering 275 degrees awarded
$105,888
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology 272 degrees awarded
$67,925

Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings.

Read the full majors brief

05 / Michigan briefing

How does Michigan serve students from different backgrounds?

Azimuth places the mobility pillar in the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth assigns the university a mobility rank of #44 among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Pell recipients in the first-time full-time cohort complete at 86.8%, below the overall six-year graduation rate of 93.2% by 6.4 percentage points. The university's earnings beyond expectations sit in the 97th percentile nationally; graduates earn about $21,484 more than the model expects for similar students.

Azimuth places the access pillar of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in the 92nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university admits 15.6% of applicants, a rate far below the peer median of 78.1%.

Pell Grant recipients make up 18.1% of the 34,177 undergraduates, and an estimated 18.1% arrive as transfers or part-time students.

06 / Michigan briefing

What colleges are similar to Michigan?[15]

The comparisons for University of Michigan-Ann Arbor cover higher reported admission rates, similar admissions profiles, higher reported earnings at similar cost, lower reported cost with similar earnings and options in the same state or region. The similar-schools brief keeps these questions in separate groups, with related institutional profiles shown as another comparison.

Each group has its own candidate list and ordering. A high position within one group is not a rank against all the schools in the other groups, and a school can appear more than once for different reasons. Check the source definition and earnings period for the comparison you choose.

A shortlist for different decisions

Choose a row to compare the figures with Michigan.

Admissions peerCornell University8.8% admitted
Comparison with Michigan
MeasureMichiganCornell University
Peer earnings · 4 years$96,159$113,372+$17,213 vs Michigan
Average annual net price$13,138$28,690+$15,552 vs Michigan · higher cost
Admission rate15.6%8.8%
Explore Cornell University →
Higher-admission alternativeKettering University78.7% admitted
Comparison with Michigan
MeasureMichiganKettering University
Peer earnings · 4 years$96,159$99,943+$3,784 vs Michigan
Average annual net price$13,138$34,660+$21,522 vs Michigan · higher cost
Admission rate15.6%78.7%
Explore Kettering University →
Nearby alternativeLawrence Technological UniversityNearby option · MI
Comparison with Michigan
MeasureMichiganLawrence Technological University
Peer earnings · 4 years$96,159$90,760-$5,399 vs Michigan
Average annual net price$13,138$32,918+$19,780 vs Michigan · higher cost
Admission rate15.6%55.9%
Explore Lawrence Technological University →
Higher-earnings alternativeGeorgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus$119,180 earnings
Comparison with Michigan
MeasureMichiganGeorgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Peer earnings · 4 years$96,159$119,180+$23,021 vs Michigan
Average annual net price$13,138$12,116-$1,022 vs Michigan · lower cost
Admission rate15.6%14.1%
Explore Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus →
Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Bernard M Baruch College$3,033 average net price
Comparison with Michigan
MeasureMichiganCUNY Bernard M Baruch College
Peer earnings · 4 years$96,159$82,748-$13,411 vs Michigan
Average annual net price$13,138$3,033-$10,105 vs Michigan · lower cost
Admission rate15.6%47.5%
Explore CUNY Bernard M Baruch College →
Similar profileUniversity of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignMatched across several measures
Comparison with Michigan
MeasureMichiganUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Peer earnings · 4 years$96,159$79,628-$16,531 vs Michigan
Average annual net price$13,138$14,355+$1,217 vs Michigan · higher cost
Admission rate15.6%42.4%
Explore University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable.

Read the full similar schools brief

Data scope & methodology

Structured payloads generated Governed hub narrative Governed spoke corpus

Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection.

Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them.

Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects.

Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.

Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations · About College Azimuth

Read the analysis behind value-added earnings and the change to four-year graduate earnings. These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com.

Data notes & source fields

Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation; notes with a different source link it below.

  1. Admission rate. Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability.

    Source fields: ADM_RATE

  2. Six-year completion. First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree.

    Source fields: C150_4

  3. Four-year institutional earnings. Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion.

    Source fields: MD_EARN_WNE_4YR

  4. Median federal student debt. Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students.

    Source fields: GRAD_DEBT_MDN

  5. National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks. Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ.

    Source fields: Azimuth rankings

    College Azimuth · Ranking methodology

  6. Annual net price by family income. Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers.

    Source fields: NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV

  7. Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration. Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations.

    Source fields: PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations

    College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology

  8. Downside and upside earnings; yellow band. The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median.

    Source fields: Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios

    College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology

  9. Value added and its components. Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.

    Source fields: Azimuth statistical model

    College Azimuth · Value-added methodology

  10. SAT score range and reported midpoint. Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range.

    Source fields: SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG

  11. First-year retention. Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions.

    Source fields: RET_FT4

  12. Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots. Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity.

    Source fields: EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE

    College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation

  13. Pell recipients. Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year.

    Source fields: PCTPELL

  14. Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group. This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns.

    Source fields: 1 − PFTFTUG1_EF

  15. Peer earnings and signed differences. Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure.

    Source fields: Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR

    College Azimuth · Comparison methodology

How to interpret program rankings