Pursuing a degree in psychology is quite a popular major across the United States whether it's at large public colleges or small, private liberal arts colleges. Besides being a fascinating subject on its own, psychology can give you access to a potentially lucrative career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Occupational Employment Statistics (OES), the national average annual wage for psychologists is $92,100 — significantly higher than the national average for all occupations, which is $58,260. And, depending on what kind of psychologist you become, you stand to make even heftier profits. For example, industrial-organizational psychologists rake in an average annual wage of $113,320.
Degrees in psychology are particularly popular with prospective and current undergraduate college students, though there are plenty of graduate programs in psychology as well. Many colleges offer degrees in psychology that can be tailored and concentrated on some very intriguing subfields, which can make majoring in psychology even more enticing.
For our study here, BrokeScholar is focusing on identifying the best colleges for psychology 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 psychology in Michigan for the academic year 2023-2024. (See methodology section for details).
Read on to find out the best colleges for psychology degrees in Michigan.
Best Colleges for Psychology in Michigan
For our psychology 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 Psychology, General; Psychology, Other; and Research and Experimental Psychology, 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 psychology compared to the student population, so that smaller schools could rank as well and not get overwhelmed by sheer volume of psychology degrees conferred by larger state schools.
In terms of the level of degrees awarded in psychology, the top 15 best colleges for psychology in Michigan offer a range from postgraduate certificates through Ph.D. degrees. The level with the most degrees in psychology is a bachelor's degree.
Therefore, let’s get into a more detailed breakdown at the best colleges for psychology in Michigan:
Alma College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 63%
Tuition and required fees: $47,430
Alma College is a private Presbyterian liberal arts college located in Alma, Michigan, roughly 55 miles north of the state capital of Lansing. As a small liberal arts college, it has a modest student population, with about 1,340 undergraduate students and over 1,350 total students. Alma College has a higher-than-average graduation rate of 63%, superior to the 45% average graduation rate for all the Michigan colleges in the study. Alma College also has an undergraduate acceptance rate of 69%, which is comparatively more competitive than most colleges in Michigan, so if you apply here, make sure you nail the college application.
Alma College offers degrees in psychology on the bachelor’s level and boasts a comparatively high proportion of psychology bachelor’s degrees to its undergraduate population, at 1.94%. The main undergraduate psychology programs at Alma College are its Psychology Major and Psychology Minor.
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Alma College in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 26 awarded in Psychology, General.
Aquinas College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 60%
Tuition and required fees: $37,280
Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Aquinas College is a small private, not-for-profit college with a total student population of roughly 1,362, including some 1,238 undergraduates. Aquinas College has a graduation rate of 60%, which is better than the average graduation rate for all 89 Michigan colleges analyzed in the study. What’s more, Aquinas College features a high proportion of psychology bachelor’s degrees compared to undergraduate students, at 2.34%. This was a major contributing factor to Aquinas College ranking among the best colleges for psychology in Michigan. Some of its main psychology programs include:
-
Psychology B.S.: You can add a concentration to your Psychology major, such as Counseling Psychology Concentration within the Psychology major; Developmental Psychology Concentration within the Psychology major; and General Psychology Concentration within the Psychology major.
According to NCES data, the primary psychology degrees awarded by Aquinas College in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 29 awarded in Psychology, General.
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, over 70 miles north of Lansing. As one of Michigan’s larger colleges, Central Michigan hosts a total student population of just under 15,500, including more than 11,400 undergraduates. Impressively, despite its size, Central Michigan still manages to maintain a graduation rate of 62% — notably better than most graduation rates of colleges in Michigan and among the highest rates of the best colleges for psychology in Michigan. Its admission rate of 77% also makes it notably more competitive than most other major public schools in Michigan. Furthermore, Central Michigan University, although 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 psychology on multiple levels. Below are the main psychology programs:
According to NCES data, the principal psychology degrees awarded by Central Michigan University in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 207 awarded in Psychology, General.
Cornerstone University
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 48%
Tuition and required fees: $27,580
Like Aquinas College, Cornerstone University is located in Grand Rapids and is a private Christian university. It’s about average size when it comes to private, not-for-profit schools, with a total student population of over 1,900, including more than 1,500 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 59% is 14-percentage points higher than the average graduation rates of all colleges in Michigan. For a private college, Cornerstone University has a comparatively affordable cost of tuition at $7,580 per academic year. Cornerstone University provides several psychology programs for students to choose from, such as:
Cornerstone University awards a high proportion of psychology bachelor’s degrees, 1.86%, compared to its undergraduate population of approximately 1,507 students. Among other factors, this component helped propel Cornerstone University to rank among the best colleges for psychology in Michigan. According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Cornerstone University in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 28 awarded in Psychology, General.
Eastern Michigan University
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 48%
Tuition and required fees: $14,400
With its home in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Eastern Michigan University is one of the bigger state colleges in Michigan, with a total student population of more than 15,000, including over 12,700 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 48% is just 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, yet more competitive than many other major public schools in Michigan. Similar to Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University doesn’t charge different rates of tuition based on whether the student is an in-state resident versus an out-of-state resident. What’s more, the estimated cost of attendance is fairly affordable.
Eastern Michigan University offers several psychology programs that students can choose to pursue:
Despite being a large public college, Eastern Michigan still maintains a high proportion of bachelor’s degrees in psychology to undergraduate population, at 1.48%. According to NCES data, the primary psychology degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 189 awarded in Psychology, General.
-
Master’s degrees: 5 awarded in Psychology, General.
Grand Valley State University
Type: 4-year, public
Graduation rate: 67%
Tuition and required fees: $14,652 for in-state | $20,540 for out-of-state
Located in Allendale, Michigan, Grand Valley State University is one of the largest colleges in Michigan, with a total student population of over 22,000, including more than 19,000 undergraduates. GVSU is also one of the best colleges for marketing in Michigan, to throw into the bargain. 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 psychology in Michigan. And, despite its large size, Grand Valley State University has one of the higher proportions of psychology bachelor’s degrees compared to its undergraduate student population, at 1.17%. That ratio of psychology degrees is higher than many smaller, private not-for-profit colleges, which is even more remarkable.
Grand Valley State University has several academic programs in the field of psychology, including:
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Grand Valley State in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 226 awarded in Psychology, General.
Hope College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 81%
Tuition and required fees: $38,370
Hope College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan, near the Lower Peninsula’s western coast on Lake Michigan, about 30 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. Home to more than 3,100 undergraduate students, Hope College is one of the bigger private, not-for-profit colleges to make our list of the best colleges for psychology in Michigan. Enjoying a graduation rate of 81%, Hope College’s rate is vastly superior to the Michigan average of 45%. Because the school is totally populated by undergraduates, Hope College only awards psychology degrees on the bachelor’s level, but notably confers one of the highest proportions of psychology degrees compared to the size of its student base, at 2.81%. The main psychology programs on offer at Hope College include:
According to NCES data, the principal psychology degrees awarded by Hope College in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 88 awarded in Psychology, General.
Kalamazoo College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 76%
Tuition and required fees: $56,001
Kalamazoo College is a private liberal arts college in, appropriately, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Originally founded in 1833 as the Michigan and Huron Institute, Kalamazoo College is the oldest private college in Michigan. Home to an undergraduate student population of approximately 1,241 and no graduate students, Kalamazoo College is on the smaller side of private, not-for-profit colleges. Although a small school, Kalamazoo College has one of the highest proportions of psychology bachelor’s degrees compared to the undergraduate population, at 2.9%. This was an important reason why Kalamazoo College ranks among the best colleges for psychology in Michigan. The college’s graduation rate of 76% is also another bonus, being much higher than the average graduation rate of 45% for the 89 Michigan colleges analyzed in our study. Furthermore, Kalamazoo College doesn't only stand out when in comes to psychology. It's also one of the best colleges for political science in Michigan.
Since Kalamazoo College only has undergraduate students, it only awards psychology degrees on the bachelor’s level. But Kalamazoo offers a well-articulated psychology curriculum, including both a major in psychology and a minor in psychology, and the college accepts AP scores of 4 or 5 on the Psychology Exam as credit for the course PSYC 101.
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Kalamazoo College in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 36 awarded in Psychology, General.
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
Michigan State University is located in East Lansing and is a vast state college with a total student population of nearly 49,700, including more than 38,500 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 82% is excellent, one of the highest graduation rates of colleges in Michigan as well as among the highest for the best psychology colleges in our study.
Being a large, public institution, Michigan State boasts a robust psychology academic department, with multiple degree programs. For students wanting to major in psychology, the College of Social Science is your go-to place. With Michigan State University awarding a combined 434 degrees in psychology, the ratio of psychology degrees to total student population is 0.87%, which might seem small, but is very solid for a college of Michigan State’s size.
Michigan State University has several academic programs in the field of psychology:
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Michigan State University in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 402 awarded in Psychology, General; and 6 awarded in Psychology, Other.
-
Master’s degrees: 17 awarded in Psychology, General.
-
Doctoral degrees: 9 awarded in Psychology, General.
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 and a total student population of over 17,000. Sporting a better-than-average graduation rate of 56%, Oakland University is one of the top colleges for psychology in Michigan. The university offers several levels of degrees that undergraduates and graduate students can pursue degrees in psychology, such as:
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Oakland University in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 161 awarded in Psychology, General.
-
Master’s degrees: 13 awarded in Psychology, General.
-
Doctoral degrees: 3 awarded in Psychology, General.
Olivet College
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 44%
Tuition and required fees: $32,006
Not too far from Lansing, Olivet College is a private Christian liberal arts college, originally founded in 1844 by missionaries from Oberlin College. Like Oberlin College, Olivet College became one of the earliest colleges to go coed, the second coed college in the US, in fact. Olivet College is small, even by private college standards. It has an undergraduate population of just over 850 students and a total student population of only around 885. Olivet College boasts a markedly high proportion of bachelor’s degrees in psychology compared to its approximately 851 undergraduates, at 2.12%. The principal bachelor’s program in psychology offered by Olivet College is its major in psychology as well as a minor in psychology.
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Olivet College in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 18 awarded in Psychology, General.
Rochester University
Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit
Graduation rate: 40%
Tuition and required fees: $26,736
Between 25 and 30 miles north of Detroit, Rochester University calls Rochester Hills its home. Rochester University is a private Christian college, founded by members of the Churches of Christ in 1959. As a private, not-for-profit college, it is expected to be smaller than other colleges on our list. It has a total student population of over 1,100, including approximately 1,087 undergraduates. However, Rochester University boasts a markedly high proportion of bachelor’s degrees in psychology compared to its approximately 1,087 undergraduates, at 2.12%. The university is also rather affordable compared to other private colleges, charging just under $27,000 per academic year in tuition and required fees. The principal bachelor’s program in psychology offered by Rochester University is its Bachelor of Science in Psychology. There are no graduate programs offered in psychology, with the only graduate program being for its Graduate Program of Theology. Despite conferring bachelor's level degrees in psychology, the course work for Rochester University’s B.S. in Psychology is robust and covers a lot of diverse ground.
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Olivet College in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 23 awarded in Psychology, General.
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 56%
Tuition and required fees: $14,320 for in-state | $29,584 for out-of-state
When most people hear the words, “University of Michigan”, they likely think only of the university at Ann Arbor. But there are a couple of Universities of Michigan and the University of Michigan-Dearborn managed to make our list of the best colleges for psychology in Michigan. With an undergraduate population of over 6,300, the University of Michigan-Dearborn is comparatively small for a public, state school. With a graduation rate of 56%, the University of Michigan-Dearborn beats out the study’s overall average of 45%. The University of Michigan-Dearborn offers psychology degrees on multiple levels:
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by the University of Michigan-Dearborn in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 151 awarded in Psychology, General.
-
Master’s degrees: 13 awarded in Psychology, General.
University of Michigan-Flint
Type: 4-year, public institution
Graduation rate: 36%
Tuition and required fees: $13,008 for in-state | $25,224 for out-of-state
Here’s another University of Michigan to make our list of the best colleges for psychology in Michigan that isn’t at Ann Arbor. The University of Michigan-Flint is comparable in size to the University of Michigan-Dearborn: It has a total student population in excess of 6,400, including nearly 5,000 undergraduate students. Like many other schools that made our list, the University of Michigan-Flint sports a higher-than-average proportion of psychology bachelor’s degrees versus its undergraduate population, at 2%. This university is also one of the cheaper schools to rank among the best colleges for psychology. The University of Michigan-Flint offers an array of psychology degrees and programs on multiple levels:
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by the University of Michigan-Flint in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 98 awarded in Psychology, General, and 2 awarded in Research and Experimental Psychology, Other.
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 that is located right in downtown Detroit. It has a large student population, with almost 25,000 total students, including more than 16,800 undergraduate students. This makes Wayne State University rank among the top five biggest colleges in Michigan. Despite being a large state school, Wayne State University is much more competitive with its admissions compared to other public institutions, possessing an undergraduate acceptance rate of only 63%. And offering top-grade degrees in psychology isn't all Wayne State University can do. It also ranked among the best colleges for accounting in Michigan in a separate recent study.
Wayne State University is also one of the best colleges for psychology in Michigan. Wayne State confers degrees in psychology on several levels. Out of its large undergraduate population, the ratio of bachelor’s degrees in psychology to the undergraduate population was 1.85%, which is conspicuously high for such a large public college. At Wayne State University, you can earn the following degrees in psychology through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences:
-
Ph.D. in Psychology: Students pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology can focus on segments such as Clinical Psychology, Developmental Science, Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology, and Social-Personality.
According to NCES data, the main psychology degrees awarded by Wayne State University in the last academic year include:
-
Bachelor’s degrees: 311 awarded in Psychology, General.
-
Master’s degrees: 9 awarded in Psychology, General.
-
Doctoral degrees: 9 awarded in Psychology, General.
The Bottom Line on the Best Colleges for Psychology in Michigan
If you’re hoping to attend a college in Michigan and plan on studying psychology, you have, right here, 15 excellent options. The best colleges for psychology 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 psychology as well as a high proportion of degrees in psychology. The Michigan college that awarded the most bachelor’s degrees in psychology was Michigan State University, with 402 conferred in the last academic year alone. And that excludes 17 master's degrees in psychology and 9 doctoral degrees in psychology. But, the school with the highest proportion of bachelor's degrees in psychology compared to its undergraduate population was Kalamazoo College, at 2.9%.
Many of these Michigan colleges are affordable, including even several of the private colleges. However, some of the public schools’ out-of-state tuition can get expensive. The good news for prospective and current students is that BrokeScholar has a whole library of college scholarships for psychology majors. If you are able to win one of these scholarships, it can be an immense 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 psychology in Michigan, we analyzed 89 colleges and universities that fit the following criteria:
-
Are private, not-for-profit institutions or public institutions
-
Offer a degree in Psychology, General; Psychology, Other; and Research and Experimental Psychology, 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.
