Dorsey College
Madison Heights, MI 48071
About Dorsey College
Dorsey College is a private for-profit trade school in Madison Heights, Michigan, enrolling about 643 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $28,525 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $16,990. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $29,392 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Dorsey College charges 2% above the national private for-profit median tuition ($16,990).
- Versus the Michigan median, sticker tuition is 12% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 54.35%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $29,392.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorsey College | $16,990 | $28,525 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| Michigan (state median) | $15,221 | $7,368 | 96 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Dorsey College really?
Key findings
- Dorsey College charges 2% above the national private for-profit median tuition ($16,990).
- Versus the Michigan median, sticker tuition is 12% above.
Dorsey College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $16,990
Finding Dorsey College charges 2% above the national private for-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $16,990. That is 2% above the national private for-profit median ($16,637). Versus the Michigan median ($15,221), sticker tuition is 12% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 43% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private for-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Dorsey College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Dorsey College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Dorsey College is $28,525.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $28,525 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $21,157 above the Michigan median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $9,825 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Dorsey College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Dorsey College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Dorsey College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$16,990
Avg. net price
$28,525
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $28,326 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $29,284 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $23,521 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $30,398 |
| $110,001+ | $33,377 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $67,960. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Dorsey College is known for
Top program completions
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training117
- Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair Technology/Technician, General58
- Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist52
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician39
- 05.108136
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Dorsey College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Dorsey College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Dorsey College.
Campus
Location
Madison Heights, MI
City / state
- ZIP
- 48071
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 53% above the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
Size
Enrollment
643
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,492
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$13,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 74.22%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Dorsey College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Dorsey College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Dorsey College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $17,568 | $17,568 | $24,606 |
| 2014 | $19,968 | $19,968 | $24,298 |
| 2015 | $19,056 | $19,056 | $26,358 |
| 2016 | $19,872 | $19,872 | $25,732 |
| 2017 | $20,472 | $20,472 | $27,295 |
| 2018 | $20,772 | $20,772 | $25,005 |
| 2019 | $21,100 | $21,100 | $27,447 |
| 2020 | $31,080 | $31,080 | $26,495 |
| 2021 | $31,680 | $31,680 | $36,912 |
| 2022 | $31,680 | $31,680 | $38,571 |
| 2023 | $32,160 | $32,160 | $22,079 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Dorsey College reported total enrollment of about 643 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 31% male and 69% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (63.6%), White (22.9%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (5.3%). About 74.22% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 57.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Dorsey College in 2024 is 643 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,492 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
50.5%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
38.04% 100% Completion Time
54.35% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 38.04% of students graduating from Dorsey College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training: 9% male / 91% female
- Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair Technology/Technician, General: 90% male / 10% female
- Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist: 0% male / 100% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Dorsey College graduates earn a median of $29,392 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Dorsey College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $29,392. Median federal loan debt: $13,000. Average net price used in cost models: $28,525.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Dorsey College graduates report median earnings of $29,392 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Dorsey College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (16 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Dorsey College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Dorsey College graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Dorsey College—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 29.8%
- Michigan median 34.3 pp below median (64.1%)
- Great Lakes median 28.2 pp below median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 28.1 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,217
- Michigan median 0.59× the median ($8,917)
- Great Lakes median 0.65× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 0.69× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,717
- Michigan median 1.6× the median ($7,240)
- Great Lakes median 1.5× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Dorsey College at a glance
Dorsey College
Dorsey College is a private for-profit institution in Madison Heights, MI.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse TrainingElectrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair Technology/Technician, GeneralAesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American63.6%White or Caucasian22.9%Race/ethnicity unknown5.3%
Schools near Dorsey College
Other campuses in Madison Heights, MI when available, plus nearby institutions in Michigan.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Michigan, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dorsey College located?
Dorsey College is located in Madison Heights, MI.
What is Dorsey College's tuition?
Dorsey College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $16,990 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $28,525 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Dorsey College cost?
Reported tuition is $16,990 and average net price is $28,525 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $8,604 annually.
What explains Dorsey College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($28,525), completion (54.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($29,392). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Dorsey College?
Dorsey College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,492 students, Black or African American (63.6%), White (22.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Dorsey College?
About 57.4% of students at Dorsey College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Dorsey College earn?
Median earnings are $21,514 six years after entry and $29,392 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Dorsey College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 54.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Dorsey College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $13,000.
Is Dorsey College public or private?
Dorsey College is a private for-profit institution located in Madison Heights, MI.
Is Dorsey College an HBCU?
No. Dorsey College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Dorsey College a tribal college?
No. Dorsey College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.