Skip to main content
Clear icon
18º

Money names University of Michigan best college in US for 2022

Ann Arbor university acknowledged for its ‘value,’ ‘affordability’

FILE - The University of Michigan football stadium is shown in Ann Arbor, Mich., Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – For only the second time ever, a public university has been named the best college in the U.S. by Money -- and it’s right here in Metro Detroit.

Money, formerly Money Magazine, on Monday named the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor the “Best College in America” based on value for 2022. The platform said it considered dozens of factors while looking at 2,400 colleges and universities to determine the top 600 in the nation, and that U-M “scored high” among the three categories used as criteria.

Recommended Videos



The Ann Arbor university scored well in the categories of “quality of education” and “outcomes” (which considers earnings, employment and return on investment), but did particularly well in the “affordability” category, Money said.

“Money estimates the in-state price of a degree from (the University of) Michigan is less than that of 600-some colleges in our rankings,” Money writer Kaitlin Mulhere said. “More than 9,000 in-state undergraduates, about 54%, receive grants from the university. About a quarter of them attend tuition-free.”

The University of Michigan is said to be only the second public university to ever score first place on Money’s annual list of best colleges. U-M is trailed by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in second place, the University of Virginia in third and Massachusetts Maritime Academy in fourth.

Michigan Technological University and Michigan State University also made the 2022 list, ranking 61 and 65, respectively. Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University were named, too, ranking 416 and 523, respectively.

Click here to see all 600 on Money’s 2022 Best Colleges in America list.

“The university takes great pride in offering our students a world-class education while maintaining our commitment to affordability,” said Amy Dittmar, senior vice provost for academic and budgetary affairs. “This ranking is validation that we’re moving in the right direction even if we know there is still more work to be done.”


Related: Michigan profs push ‘pee for peonies’ urine diversion plan


About the Author
Cassidy Johncox headshot

Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.

Loading...