- $20.6 billion net economic impact in 2021 with 139,624 enrolled students. The URC indirectly supported an additional 13,877 jobs in Michigan for a total of 80,230 jobs that were directly or indirectly attributable to a URC institution.
- In 2021, the URC had almost 1.5 million alumni worldwide with 712,000 graduates residing in Michigan.
The Detroit region is home to several ranked higher education institutions that provide world-class educations and feed the growing need for high-level, highly skilled talent that can adapt and thrive in the knowledge economy.
The region is home to 34 colleges and universities, including the only national academic and innovation research cluster, the University Research Corridor (URC).
The URC is an alliance of Michigan’s three leading research institutions — the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University. Collectively.
The University Research Corridor (URC)
In 2022, the URC reported:
2-Year and 4-Year Enrollment
Enrollment increases are needed to sustain progress to reach 60% postsecondary educational attainment and cut the racial equity gap in half by 2030. In fall 2022, more than 314,750 students enrolled into a postsecondary program in the Detroit Region. For more data on college enrollment please visit,.
Public Universities
College/University | City | 2022 Total Fall Enrollment |
Mount Pleasant | 14,557 | |
Ypsilanti | 14,018 | |
Lansing | 50,023 | |
Rochester | 16,108 | |
Ann Arbor | 51,225 | |
Dearborn | 8,223 | |
Flint | 5,985 | |
Detroit | 23,630 | |
Big Rapids | 10,072 | |
Allendale | 21,648 | |
Sault Sainte Marie | 1,655 | |
Houghton | 7,063 | |
Marquette | 6,970 | |
University Center | 7,147 | |
Kalamazoo | 17,000 |
Private Colleges and Universities
College/University | City | 2022 Total Fall Enrollment |
Adrian | 1,821 | |
Detroit | 1,517 | |
Howell | 891 | |
Ann Arbor | 1,203 | |
Grand Rapids | 5,074 | |
Flint | 1,769 | |
Southfield | 2,966 | |
Livonia | 2,109 | |
Midland | 2,246 | |
Olivet | 919 | |
Rochester Hills | 1,857 | |
Adrian | 1,966 | |
Spring Arbor | 2,396 | |
Lansing | 564 | |
Detroit | 6,360 | |
Troy | 1,218 |
Community Colleges
College/University | City | 2022 Total Fall Enrollment |
Dearborn | 11,204 | |
Warren | 15,946 | |
Monroe | 2,475 | |
Flint | 2,398 | |
Bloomfield Hills | 13,430 | |
Port Huron | 3,192 | |
Livonia | 7,650 | |
Ann Arbor | 10,622 | |
Detroit | 12,219 |
College Graduates Overview
In 2022, a total of 60,104 students graduated from a postsecondary program in the Detroit Region, decreasing 11.7% since 2018. Certificates accounted for (5,391), associate’s (11,905), bachelor’s (27,442), master’s (11,197), and professional or PhD (3,317) of the total.
College Graduates by Race
In 2022, the Detroit Region had roughly over 50,000 graduates of whom 72% were white, 13% Black, 8% Asian and 6% Hispanic. Since 2018, however, growth in college graduates has declined significantly for Black and white students in the Detroit Region. From 2018 to 2022, white graduates declined 14.1% and Black graduates declined 23.6%. While the Region experienced growth in Asian (+22.6%) and Hispanic (+25.3%) college graduates.
Degree Completions
Michigan ranks 7th among all state for total degree completions from public institutions for every type of degree (e.g., bachelor’s) with more than 94,000 degrees awarded in 2021. In the Detroit region, almost 55,000 degrees were awarded from public and private institutions in 2021. The most awarded programs in the region included health profession, business, management, marketing, and engineering.
Degree Field | Associate’s | Bachelor’s | Master’s | Doctor’s |
Health Professions & Related | 2,196 | 4,349 | 1,424 | 1,347 |
Business, Management, Marketing & Related | 1,536 | 4,664 | 2,930 | 18 |
Engineering & Engineering Technologies | 117 | 2,980 | 2,105 | 305 |
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services | 419 | 2,176 | 612 | 30 |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 91 | 1,813 | 355 | 167 |
Education | 122 | 950 | 996 | 124 |
Psychology | 16 | 1,764 | 287 | 66 |
Social Studies | 4 | 1,806 | 201 | 55 |
Public Administration and Social Service Professions | 48 | 591 | 1,085 | 7 |
Visual and Performing Arts | 289 | 1,200 | 216 | 22 |
Total, All Programs | 11,287 | 28,477 | 12,045 | 3,079 |
Note: All Institution Sectors
Learn about the region’s economics, workforce and talent, industry clusters and more.
For additional information, contact the Data and Research team.
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