Michigan’s Best Colleges for 2027: MSU Doesn’t Crack the Top 3

When it comes to colleges and universities, Michigan has some pretty impressive options.

From big-name schools like Michigan State and the University of Michigan to smaller colleges you might not hear quite as much about, there's no shortage of places to get a great education.

But which ones are actually the best?

READ MORE: The Big 10's Smartest Schools Ranked From Worst to First

We took the latest college rankings from U.S. News & World Report and WalletHub, ranked Michigan schools according to where they finished in each study, then averaged those two statewide rankings to come up with our own Top 10 Best Colleges in Michigan for 2027.

Here are the schools that made this year's list.

10. Andrews University (Berrien Springs)

Andrews University comes in at #10 on our list, giving southwest Michigan a spot among the state's best colleges.

U.S. News ranks Andrews University as #262 among National Universities, while WalletHub puts it at #466 nationwide. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1874, Andrews is located in Berrien Springs and had 1,383 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2025.

9. Hope College (Holland)

Hope College in Holland rolls in at #9, and it's one of the smaller schools making our Top 10.

Hope College ranks #78 nationally among private liberal arts colleges according to U.S. News, and #236 overall according to WalletHub. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1866, Hope College enrolled 3,427 undergraduate students in fall 2025.

8. Calvin University (Grand Rapids)

Grand Rapids gets some love at #8 with Calvin University, which actually performs especially well in the U.S. News regional rankings.

Calvin University ranks #3 among Regional Universities in the Midwest according to U.S. News, while WalletHub places it at #221 nationally. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1876, Calvin University had 3,359 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2025.

7. Kalamazoo College (Kalamazoo)

Kalamazoo College lands at #7 on our combined list, although WalletHub likes this school even more than that.

WalletHub ranks Kalamazoo College at #200 nationally and second among the Michigan schools in its study, while U.S. News places it at #74 among National Liberal Arts Colleges. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1833, Kalamazoo College is a private institution with 1,098 undergraduate students as of fall 2025.

6. Wayne State University (Detroit)

Wayne State University comes in at #6, giving Detroit a reason to brag.

U.S. News ranks Wayne State University at #186 among National Universities, while WalletHub places it at #299 overall. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1868, Wayne State University enrolled 16,390 undergraduate students in fall 2025.

5. University of Michigan-Dearborn (Dearborn)

The University of Michigan's Dearborn campus lands at #5, proving Ann Arbor isn't the only place to get a highly ranked U of M education.

U.S. News ranks UM-Dearborn at #227 among National Universities, while WalletHub places it at #274 nationwide. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1959, the University of Michigan-Dearborn enrolled 6,199 undergraduate students in fall 2025.

4. Michigan State University (East Lansing)

Spartan fans might have expected Michigan State to finish a little higher, but the East Lansing school still earns a top-five spot.

U.S. News ranks Michigan State University at #69 among National Universities, while WalletHub puts it at #292 nationally. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

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Founded in 1855, MSU had 41,415 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2025, making it the largest school on our list.

3. University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit)

The University of Detroit Mercy grabs the #3 spot, which might surprise a few people who automatically think of Michigan's bigger public universities.

U.S News ranks the University of Detroit Mercy as #186 among National Universities, while WalletHub puts it at #222 overall. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1877, the University of Detroit Mercy had 3,577 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2025.

2. Michigan Technological University (Houghton)

Michigan Tech claims the runner-up spot, giving Houghton some serious bragging rights.

U.S. News ranks Michigan Tech at #169 among National Universities, while WalletHub puts it at #212 nationwide. (Photo via GoogleMaps)

Founded in 1885, Michigan Tech had 6,009 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2025.

1. University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)

Whether you're a Wolverine fan or a Spartan fan, there's no arguing with the numbers. The University of Michigan came out on top in our combined rankings.

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U.S. News places the University of Michigan at #25 among National Universities, while WalletHub ranks it #44 overall, making it the highest-ranked Michigan school in both studies. (Photo via Matthew Schwartz on Unsplash)

Founded in 1817, the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor had 35,358 undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2025.