Best Political Science Colleges in Michigan2026 Rankings
Michigan is home to 27 accredited institutions offering Political Science programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is the most selective, admitting 18% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $26,376, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $32,247. Median early-career earnings for Political Science graduates in this state average $33,923 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 63%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborPublic | Elite· 49 | 18% | 93% | $8,756 | $39,702 | 11:1 | 87 | 33,488 |
| 2 | Hope CollegePrivate | Great· 41 | 76% | 82% | $20,837 | $32,389 | 11:1 | 40 | 3,274 |
| 3 | University of Detroit MercyPrivate | Great· 41 | 80% | 68% | $15,090 | $66,591 | 12:1 | 47 | 2,289 |
| 4 | Kalamazoo CollegePrivate | Great· 41 | 76% | 82% | $17,500 | $30,494 | 10:1 | 24 | 1,175 |
| 5 | Michigan State UniversityPublic | Great· 38 | 84% | 82% | $20,378 | $39,514 | 17:1 | 106 | 40,243 |
| 6 | Calvin UniversityPrivate | Great· 38 | 71% | 77% | $21,973 | $43,110 | 14:1 | 65 | 2,921 |
| 7 | Aquinas CollegePrivate | Strong· 37 | 71% | 63% | $15,423 | $37,757 | 11:1 | 57 | 1,201 |
| 8 | Hillsdale CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 21% | 85% | $32,092 | — | 8:1 | 30 | 1,563 |
| 9 | Albion CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 83% | 57% | $14,936 | $39,066 | 11:1 | 48 | 1,347 |
| 10 | University of Michigan-DearbornPublic | Strong· 36 | 59% | 57% | $9,589 | $32,266 | 16:1 | 61 | 5,882 |
| 11 | Andrews UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 87% | 66% | $13,563 | $47,414 | 10:1 | 66 | 1,262 |
| 12 | Lake Superior State UniversityPublic | Strong· 36 | 68% | 57% | $12,862 | $42,685 | 13:1 | 50 | 1,391 |
| 13 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | Strong· 35 | 82% | 57% | $14,864 | $30,345 | 13:1 | 85 | 15,676 |
| 14 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | Strong· 35 | 81% | 48% | $12,303 | $49,361 | 15:1 | 61 | 8,087 |
| 15 | University of Michigan-FlintPublic | Strong· 35 | 69% | 45% | $11,010 | $50,364 | 14:1 | 55 | 4,157 |
| 16 | Saginaw Valley State UniversityPublic | Strong· 35 | 73% | 54% | $13,963 | $35,059 | 15:1 | 59 | 6,004 |
| 17 | Oakland UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 70% | 57% | $12,229 | $29,080 | 17:1 | 71 | 12,450 |
| 18 | Spring Arbor UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 37% | 60% | $18,556 | $41,735 | 11:1 | 60 | 990 |
| 19 | Grand Valley State UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 95% | 69% | $14,507 | $35,358 | 15:1 | 81 | 19,073 |
| 20 | Eastern Michigan UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 81% | 45% | $16,268 | $30,137 | 15:1 | 105 | 10,751 |
| 21 | Siena Heights UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 67% | 51% | $17,350 | $49,525 | 12:1 | 91 | 1,533 |
| 22 | Alma CollegePrivate | Good· 33 | 66% | 64% | $22,322 | $37,011 | 14:1 | 49 | 1,208 |
| 23 | Northern Michigan UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 70% | 51% | $15,948 | $32,795 | 18:1 | 72 | 6,425 |
| 24 | Adrian CollegePrivate | Good· 32 | 68% | 56% | $19,528 | $38,538 | 15:1 | 63 | 1,635 |
| 25 | Western Michigan UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 85% | 58% | $18,710 | $38,744 | 16:1 | 96 | 12,704 |
| 26 | Madonna UniversityPrivate | Good· 31 | 93% | 58% | $18,806 | $55,673 | 10:1 | 67 | 1,637 |
| 27 | Central Michigan UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 91% | 62% | $14,182 | $36,006 | 16:1 | 90 | 9,916 |