Kalamazoo, Michigan Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Kalamazoo, Michigan shows: median public in-state tuition $15,252 (+176.7% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $59,576 (+9.7% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 91.1% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $26,000 (+93.6% vs U.S.) 18,794 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 6 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 18,794 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $15,252 (+176.7% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $59,576 (+9.7% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 91.1% (+3.2 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $15,273 (+53.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $26,000 (+93.6% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,004
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 66.8%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 82.8%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Kalamazoo, Michigan—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Michigan and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Kalamazoo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo, Michigan | $15,252 | $15,273 | $26,000 | 66.8% | 18,794 |
| Michigan (state median) | $5,445 | $7,368 | $13,000 | 55.5% | 368,899 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Kalamazoo, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo, Michigan | $59,576 | 91.1% | 82.8% | 3.6% | — | 76.4% | 0.44 |
| Michigan (state median) | $55,123 | 91.3% | 78.1% | 5.5% | — | 69.5% | 0.46 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo, Michigan | $15,252 | $15,273 | $26,000 | 66.8% | 18,794 | $59,576 | 91.1% |
| Ann Arbor | $17,736 | $16,694 | $16,405 | 70.4% | 42,746 | $69,862 | 91.7% |
| East Lansing | $16,458 | $19,680 | $9,833 | 80.7% | 41,771 | $67,253 | 93.6% |
| Detroit | $19,655 | $13,999 | $17,125 | 66.9% | 27,782 | $53,493 | 89.2% |
| Grand Rapids | $24,466 | $17,707 | $21,389 | 61.9% | 20,279 | $48,449 | 89.9% |
| Warren | $14,063 | $10,522 | $9,500 | N/A | 14,113 | N/A | N/A |
| Flint | $14,704 | $14,344 | $15,406 | 55.6% | 11,021 | $74,026 | 92.4% |
| Mount Pleasant | $8,745 | $11,949 | $27,000 | 58.7% | 10,249 | $55,874 | 93.4% |
| Lansing | $19,520 | $15,524 | $15,740 | 36.0% | 8,539 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 76.0%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 57.6%, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 92.8%, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 89.4%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Top 10 most selective colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 75.3%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 84.6%, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $86,401, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $72,008, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $117,826, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $102,825, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,137, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,356, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $56,248, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $48,394, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $65,590, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,562, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $185,722, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $151,660, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $15,273, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $19,072, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Top 10 colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 84.5%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 81.1%, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
In-state tuition: Kalamazoo, Michigan vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Kalamazoo, Michigan median in-state tuition is $15,252, +176.7% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Kalamazoo, Michigan vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Kalamazoo, Michigan is $26,000 (+93.6% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,004.
Median earnings (10 years out): Kalamazoo, Michigan vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Kalamazoo, Michigan center around $59,576 (+9.7% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Kalamazoo, Michigan vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 91.1% at the median Kalamazoo, Michigan campus (+3.2 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
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
Kalamazoo, Michigan median public in-state tuition is $15,252, about +176.7% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +171.2%.
Median graduate debt is $26,000 (+93.6% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Kalamazoo, Michigan are $59,576, about +9.7% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 91.1% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+3.2 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 82.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.6% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 76.4% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Western Michigan University (92.8%), Kalamazoo College (89.4%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Kalamazoo, Michigan is 66.8% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Kalamazoo?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 6 campuses in Kalamazoo, Michigan with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Kalamazoo?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Kalamazoo is $15,252 and median net price is $15,273. For Michigan overall, medians are $5,445 and $7,368; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Kalamazoo?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Kalamazoo is $59,576 vs $55,123 for Michigan and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Kalamazoo colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Kalamazoo is $26,000 vs $13,000 for Michigan and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Kalamazoo?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Kalamazoo College (graduation) and Kalamazoo College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Kalamazoo?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 6 College Scorecard campuses in Kalamazoo, Michigan, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Michigan college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON