Traverse City, Michigan Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Traverse City, Michigan: median public in-state tuition $6,073 (+6.5% vs national median) median graduate debt $19,726 (+46.1% vs U.S.) 2,813 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Traverse City serve students across Michigan with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 2,813 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $6,073. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Traverse City, Michigan and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Traverse City vs Michigan & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, Michigan | $6,073 | $3,926 | $19,726 | 21.4% | 2,813 |
| Michigan (state median) | $5,640 | $7,907 | $13,000 | 55.0% | 368,613 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,468,409 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Traverse City, Michigan vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, Michigan | N/A | N/A | N/A | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| Michigan (state median) | $60,000 | 93.7% | 78.1% | 5.5% | — | 69.5% | 0.37 |
| United States | $59,402 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.36 |
Other cities in Michigan (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, Michigan | $6,073 | $3,926 | $19,726 | 21.4% | 2,813 | N/A | N/A |
| Ann Arbor | $18,346 | $18,474 | $16,783 | 70.4% | 42,746 | $77,412 | 94.4% |
| East Lansing | $17,256 | $21,322 | $9,833 | 80.3% | 41,771 | $74,168 | 95.5% |
| Detroit | $22,165 | $14,614 | $14,909 | 57.6% | 27,730 | $59,525 | 91.1% |
| Grand Rapids | $25,562 | $19,575 | $19,500 | 62.3% | 20,279 | $52,964 | 92.7% |
| Kalamazoo | $15,954 | $13,902 | $24,851 | 66.5% | 18,714 | $62,297 | 94.3% |
| Dearborn | $9,946 | $4,090 | $16,206 | 38.7% | 14,595 | $66,897 | 90.7% |
| Warren | $14,654 | $21,546 | $8,996 | N/A | 14,113 | N/A | N/A |
| Rochester Hills | $23,343 | $14,958 | $22,750 | 49.9% | 13,143 | $57,147 | 93.0% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,468,409 | $59,402 | 93.0% |
In-state tuition: Traverse City, Michigan vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Traverse City, Michigan median in-state tuition is $6,073, +6.5% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Traverse City, Michigan vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Traverse City, Michigan is $19,726 (+46.1% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $14,568.
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Traverse City, Michigan median public in-state tuition is $6,073, about +6.5% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +5.7%.
Median graduate debt is $19,726 (+46.1% above the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Traverse City, Michigan is 21.4% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Traverse City?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Traverse City, Michigan with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Traverse City?
Median in-state tuition in Traverse City is $6,073 and median net price is $3,926. For Michigan overall, medians are $5,640 and $7,907; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Traverse City?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Traverse City is N/A vs $60,000 for Michigan and $59,402 nationally.
What is student debt like for Traverse City colleges?
Median completer debt in Traverse City is $19,726 vs $13,000 for Michigan and $13,500 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Traverse City?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Traverse City, Michigan, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Michigan college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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