Kalamazoo, Michigan Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Kalamazoo, Michigan: median public in-state tuition $15,954 (+179.9% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $62,297 (+4.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 94.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $24,851 (+84.1% vs U.S.) 18,714 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Kalamazoo serve students across Michigan with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 5 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 18,714 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $15,954. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Kalamazoo, 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 | $15,954 | $13,902 | $24,851 | 66.5% | 18,714 |
| Michigan (state median) | $5,640 | $7,907 | $13,000 | 55.0% | 368,613 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
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 | $62,297 | 94.3% | 82.8% | 3.6% | — | 76.4% | 0.40 |
| Michigan (state median) | $60,000 | 93.7% | 78.1% | 5.5% | — | 69.5% | 0.37 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo, Michigan | $15,954 | $13,902 | $24,851 | 66.5% | 18,714 | $62,297 | 94.3% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| University Center | $9,295 | $10,029 | $17,752 | 50.6% | 12,562 | $55,838 | 93.6% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 74.4%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
-
Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 58.6%, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 94.4%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
-
Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 94.3%, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, Admission Rate, 75.3%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
-
Rank 2, Admission Rate, 84.6%, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $87,930, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
-
Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $59,073, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $117,826, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
-
Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $102,825, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $49,938, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
-
Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $48,018, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $60,639, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
-
Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,922, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $66,766, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $57,828, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $203,983, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $189,534, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, Net Price, $13,902, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
-
Rank 2, Net Price, $20,784, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Top 2 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.
-
Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 84.5%, Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
-
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 $15,954, +179.9% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Kalamazoo, Michigan vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Kalamazoo, Michigan is $24,851 (+84.1% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $14,568.
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 $62,297 (+4.9% 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 94.3% at the median Kalamazoo, Michigan campus (+1.3 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 $15,954, about +179.9% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +177.8%.
Median graduate debt is $24,851 (+84.1% 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.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Kalamazoo, Michigan are $62,297, about +4.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 94.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (+1.3 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 76.4%—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. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Kalamazoo College (94.4%), Western Michigan University (94.3%)—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 66.5% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Kalamazoo?
This city profile covers 5 campuses in Kalamazoo, Michigan with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Kalamazoo?
Median in-state tuition in Kalamazoo is $15,954 and median net price is $13,902. For Michigan overall, medians are $5,640 and $7,907; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Kalamazoo?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Kalamazoo is $62,297 vs $60,000 for Michigan and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Kalamazoo colleges?
Median completer debt in Kalamazoo is $24,851 vs $13,000 for Michigan and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Kalamazoo?
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?
Among 5 College Scorecard campuses in Kalamazoo, 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
- Download: JSON