Pursuing a degree in accounting can put students on the road to a robust career in business and finance. Accountants work for all types of organizations, including corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, and small businesses, among others. Accountants construct financial reports, review income and expenses, prepare and file tax documents, and make sure of regulatory compliance. There’s also forensic accounting, which focuses on fraudulent and criminal acts committed in the financial realm. Ultimately, pursuing a degree in accounting and following it up with a professional career can lead to secure and predictable working conditions or exhilarating and vibrant ones.
Degrees in accounting are particularly popular with prospective and current college students. So, finding the best colleges for accounting is an important part of researching different colleges to apply to. For our study here, BrokeScholar is focusing on identifying the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. We analyzed 89 colleges in Michigan, both public institutions and private, not-for-profit institutions, but excluding for-profit institutions. Sourcing data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), we constructed a list of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan for the academic year 2023-2024. (See methodology section for details).
Read on to find out the best colleges for accounting degrees in Michigan.
Best Colleges for Accounting in Michigan
For our accounting degree study, we analyzed all the public and private, not-for-profit colleges in Michigan in terms of various factors. These included the type and number of degrees awarded per academic year in Accounting and Accounting and Related Services, Other (terminology provided by the NCES), graduation rates, estimated annual cost of tuition and required fees. Another key factor was the proportion of degrees in accounting compared to the student population, so that smaller schools could rank as well and not get swamped by sheer volume of accounting degrees conferred by larger state schools.
In terms of the level of degrees awarded in accounting, the top 15 best colleges for accounting in Michigan offer a range from postgraduate certificates through master’s degrees. The level with the most degrees in accounting is a bachelor's degree.
Therefore, let’s get into a more detailed breakdown at the top 15 best colleges for accounting in Michigan:
Adrian College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 53%
Tuition and required fees: $39,596
Appropriately located in Adrian, Michigan, Adrian College is a small private, not-for-profit college with a total student population of roughly 1,871, including some 1,805 undergraduates. Adrian College has a graduation rate of 53%, which is better than the average graduation rate for all 89 Michigan colleges analyzed in the study. What’s more, with an admission rate of 76%, Adrian College is more selective than the majority of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. Adrian College features a high proportion of accounting degrees compared to undergraduate students, at 1.98%. This was a big factor in making Adrian College rank among the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. Some of its main accounting programs include:
According to NCES data, the primary accounting degrees awarded by Adrian College in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 16 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 21 awarded in Accounting.
Baker College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 21%
Tuition and required fees: $12,624
Baker College is a private college located in Owosso, Michigan, and has a large student population for being a private, not-for-profit school. With more than 4,600 undergraduate students and nearly 5,000 total students, Baker College is one of the biggest private colleges in Michigan. Baker College is also one of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. Baker College offers degrees in accounting on several levels, including both undergraduate and graduate programs:
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Baker College in the last academic year include:
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Associate degrees: 12 awarded in Accounting
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Bachelor’s degrees: 34 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 6 awarded in Accounting.
Calvin University
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 77%
Tuition and required fees: $38,370
Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Calvin University is a private, not-for-profit school that also made our list of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. With a total student population of over 3,200, including roughly 3,068 undergraduates, Calvin University’s graduation rate of 77% is one of the highest of colleges in Michigan and also among the highest for the best colleges for accounting in the state. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 75%, Calvin University is also more competitive than most accounting colleges to make our top-15 list.
Calvin University has several academic programs in the field of accounting:
With a combined 56 degrees in accounting awarded last academic year, the proportion of accounting degrees to student population is a comparatively high 1.72%. According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Calvin University in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 36 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 20 awarded in Accounting.
Central Michigan University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 62%
Tuition and required fees: $11,376
Central Michigan University is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and one of Michigan’s bigger colleges. Home to a total student population of just under 15,500, including more than 11,400 undergraduates, it still manages to have a graduation rate of 62% — markedly better than most graduation rates of colleges in Michigan and among the highest rates of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. Its admission rate of 77% also makes it notably more selective than most other major public schools in Michigan. Additionally, Central Michigan University, though a public institution, does not charge different rates of tuition based on the residence of students. Both in-state and out-of-state students pay a tuition of $11,376 per academic year.
Central Michigan University awards degrees in accounting up to the bachelor's degree level, but accounting can be a concentration for high level degrees. Below are the main accounting programs:
According to NCES data, the principal accounting degrees awarded by Central Michigan University in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 76 awarded in Accounting.
Davenport University
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 48%
Tuition and required fees: $26,550
Like Calvin University, Davenport University is a private college in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s pretty big compared to other private, not-for-profit schools, with a total student population of nearly 5,400, including more than 4,300 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 48% is just around the average graduation rates of colleges in Michigan. For a private college, Davenport University has a comparatively affordable cost of tuition at $26,550 per academic year.
Davenport University provides several accounting programs for students to choose from, including degrees ranging from postgraduate certificates to master’s degrees:
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Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting Fraud Investigation
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Master of Business Administration - Managerial Accounting Concentration
Davenport University awards a high proportion of accounting degrees, 2.69%, compared to its undergraduate population. This factor, among others, helped propel Davenport University to rank among the best colleges for accounting in Michigan.
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Davenport University in the last academic year include:
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Postgraduate certificates: 5 awarded in Accounting.
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Associate degrees: 4 awarded in Accounting.
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Bachelor’s degrees: 92 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 49 awarded in Accounting.
Eastern Michigan University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 48%
Tuition and required fees: $14,400
Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Eastern Michigan University is one of the larger state colleges in Michigan, with a total student population of over 15,000, including more than 12,700 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 48% is right around the average graduation rates of the 89 colleges in Michigan analyzed in our study. Its admission rate of 85% makes it less selective than many private not-for-profit colleges, but more selective than many other major public schools in Michigan. Like Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University also doesn’t charge different rates of tuition for in-state resident students versus out-of-state resident students. And the estimated cost of attendance is fairly affordable.
Eastern Michigan University has a whole suite of accounting programs that students can choose to pursue:
According to NCES data, the primary accounting degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 83 awarded in Accounting and 2 awarded in Accounting and Related Services, Other.
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Master’s degrees: 28 awarded in Accounting.
Grand Valley State University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 67%
Tuition and required fees: $14,652 for in-state | $20,540 for out-of-state
With its home in Allendale, Michigan, Grand Valley State University is a major state college with a total student population of over 22,000, including more than 19,000 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 67% is one of the highest graduation rates of colleges in the state and also among the highest for the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. Despite its huge size, Grand Valley State University has one of the highest proportions of accounting degrees compared to its total student population, at 0.86%. That ratio of accounting degrees is higher than most smaller, private not-for-profit colleges, which is even more impressive.
Grand Valley State University has several academic programs in the field of accounting, including:
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Grand Valley State in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 157 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 35 awarded in Accounting.
Michigan State University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 82%
Tuition and required fees: $15,436 for in-state | $42,022 for out-of-state
Located in East Lansing, Michigan, Michigan State University is a massive state college with a total student population of over 49,000, including more than 38,500 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 82% is one of the highest graduation rates of colleges in the state as well as among the highest for the best accounting colleges in our study.
What’s great about large, public institutions are the resources at their disposal and Michigan State knows how to deploy them. Michigan State University is comprised of 17 colleges covering different fields of study. For students wanting to major in accounting, the Broad College of Business is where you’ll study. With Michigan State University awarding a combined 216 degrees in accounting, the ratio of accounting degrees to total student population is 0.43%, which may seem small, but is very strong for a college of Michigan State’s size.
Michigan State University has several academic programs in the field of accounting:
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Michigan State in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 214 awarded in Accounting.
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Doctoral degrees: 2 awarded in Accounting.
Northwood University
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 62%
Tuition and required fees: $31,600
Northwood University is located in Midland, Michigan, and has an undergraduate population of over 2,100 students. With Northwood University awarding an impressive 108 bachelor’s degrees in accounting, the proportion of accounting degrees to undergraduates is a staggeringly high 5.1%. This is a significant reason why Northwood University ranked highly among the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. It also didn’t hurt that Northwood University has a graduation rate of 62%, which is better than the study’s average.
Northwood University has two main academic programs in the field of accounting:
According to NCES data, the accounting degrees awarded by Northwood University in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 108 awarded in Accounting.
Oakland University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 56%
Tuition and required fees: $13,934 for in-state | $24,708 for out-of-state
Located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Oakland University has an undergraduate population of over 13,700 students. Boasting a better-than-average graduation rate of 56%, Oakland University is one of the top colleges for accounting in Michigan. Through its School of Business Administration, undergraduates and graduate students can pursue degrees in accounting, such as:
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Oakland University in the last academic year include:
- Bachelor’s degrees: 80 awarded in Accounting.
- Master’s degrees: 22 awarded in Accounting.
Siena Heights University
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 51%
Tuition and required fees: $29,044
Also located in Adrian, Michigan, like Adrian College, Siena Heights University ranks as one of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. It should also be worth mentioning that Siena Heights University is one of the academically best colleges with bowling teams on the varsity level. Siena Heights University has one of the highest proportions of accounting degrees awarded per year versus student population. With a total of 34 bachelor’s degrees awarded in accounting, and an undergraduate population of nearly 1,800, that works out to 1.91%. The university is also competitive to get into, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 68%, which puts it on the more selective side of colleges in Michigan.
Siena Heights University has 72 different academic programs across various levels of degrees. Some of the main accounting programs you can pursue at Siena Heights include:
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Siena Heights University in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 34 awarded in Accounting.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 94%
Tuition and required fees: $16,736 for in-state | $55,334 for out-of-state
By far the hardest college to get into in Michigan, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor also ranks as one of the best accounting colleges in Michigan. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of only 20%, UMich is one of the most selective public colleges in the country. On top of that, its graduation rate of 94% is by far the highest in our study of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. As Michigan’s flagship state school, UMich has a huge economy of scale to cater to all types of students and fields of study. The University of Michigan offers only master’s degrees in accounting, its principal one being its Master of Accounting. According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by UMich in the last academic year include:
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Master’s degrees: 56 awarded in Accounting.
Walsh College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: N/A
Tuition and required fees: $20,310
Located in Troy, Michigan, Walsh College ranks as one of the best accounting colleges in Michigan, due in part to having an entire Department of Accounting at its disposal. Walsh College has the highest proportions of accounting degrees awarded per year versus student population. With a combined 124 accounting degrees awarded on the bachelor’s and master’s level, and a total student population of nearly 1,500, that works out to an incredible 8.31%.
The top accounting programs you can pursue at Walsh College include:
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Walsh College in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 48 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 76 awarded in Accounting.
Wayne State University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 56%
Tuition and required fees: $14,464 for in-state | $30,914 for out-of-state
Wayne State University is a public research university whose home is in Detroit. It has a large student population, with more than 16,800 undergraduate students and nearly 25,000 total students. This makes Wayne State University one of the biggest colleges in Michigan. Despite being a large state school, Wayne State University is much more competitive with its admissions compared to, for example, Michigan State. Where Wayne State’s undergraduate acceptance rate is 63%, Michigan State’s acceptance rate is 83%, which makes Wayne State significantly more selective than the latter college.
Wayne State University is also one of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. Wayne State confers degrees in accounting on several levels. Out of its large undergraduate population, the ratio of bachelor’s degree in accounting to the undergraduate population was 0.65%, which is noticeably high for such a large public college. At Wayne State University, you can earn the following degrees in accounting through the Mike Ilitch School of Business:
According to NCES data, the main accounting degrees awarded by Wayne State University in the last academic year include:
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Postgraduate certificates: 2 awarded in Accounting.
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Bachelor’s degrees: 110 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 19 awarded in Accounting.
Western Michigan University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 56%
Tuition and required fees: $15,196 for in-state | $18,995 for out-of-state
Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Western Michigan University rounds out our top-15 list of the best colleges for accounting in Michigan. Western Michigan University has high proportions of accounting degrees awarded per year versus student population, especially when you take into account the fact that it’s a large state school with more than 14,500 undergraduate students. With a combined 175 accounting degrees awarded across multiple levels, and a total student population of over 18,000, that works out to 0.96%.
The accounting programs you can pursue at Western Michigan University include:
According to NCES data, the principal accounting degrees awarded by Western Michigan University in the last academic year include:
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Bachelor’s degrees: 145 awarded in Accounting.
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Master’s degrees: 30 awarded in Accounting.
The Bottom Line on the Best Colleges for Accounting in Michigan
If you’re looking to attend a college in Michigan and hope to study accounting, you have a lot of good options. The best colleges for accounting in Michigan include both big, public colleges as well as smaller private, not-for-profit schools. And many schools boast high numbers of degrees in accounting as well as a high proportion of degrees in accounting. The college that awarded the most bachelor’s degrees in accounting was Michigan State University, with 216 conferred in the last academic year alone. However, the school with the highest proportion of degrees in accounting compared to its total student population was Walsh College, at 8.31%.
Many of these Michigan colleges are affordable, though some of the public schools’ out-of-state tuition can get expensive, not to mention the private schools’ tuition rates. The good news for prospective and current students is that BrokeScholar has a whole library of college scholarships for accounting majors. Attaining one of these scholarships can be a big help in reducing the cost of attending college, whether it’s on the undergraduate or graduate level.
Methodology
In order to identify the best colleges for accounting in Michigan, we analyzed 89 colleges and universities that fit the following criteria:
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Are private, not-for-profit institutions or public institutions
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Offer a degree in Accounting and Accounting and Related Services, Other, on any degree level ranging from undergraduate certificates to doctoral degrees
These 89 colleges and universities were sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), as was data on their respective undergraduate populations; undergraduate graduation rates; approximate costs of tuition and required fees; the type and number of degrees awarded per academic year in marketing; and the proportion of these degrees to the undergraduate population.
