Kalamazoo College Ranked Second in Michigan Study
A 2027 WalletHub analysis placed Kalamazoo College behind the University of Michigan in the state rankings.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in College Applications
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WalletHub released its 2027 rankings of 500 colleges and universities, placing Kalamazoo College second among all institutions in Michigan. The University of Michigan Ann Arbor secured the top spot in the state in the new study.
Why it matters
These rankings provide a comprehensive look at institutional performance, helping students and families compare schools across seven key academic and financial categories. The assessment serves as a tool for evaluating the state of higher education in Michigan.
Kalamazoo College earned the top statewide rank for student-faculty ratio, while ranking 4th in graduation rate and 7th in admission rate. The study evaluated 500 national colleges using 30 distinct data points across seven categories.
The players
Kalamazoo College
A private liberal arts college located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, known for its emphasis on experiential education.
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
A public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which serves as the flagship campus of the state university system.
WalletHub
A personal finance website that regularly publishes rankings and analyses of educational institutions and market trends.
The details
Researchers grouped 30 data points into categories including student selectivity, cost, faculty resources, and career outcomes. Kalamazoo College placed 15th in net cost statewide, while the University of Michigan Ann Arbor ranked 17th in that same metric.
Timeline
The rankings reflect academic and performance data for the 2027 school year.
Culture Shift
The study follows the methodology established by the WalletHub college ranking system to evaluate performance across 500 institutions. This trend reflects an increasing societal emphasis on quantifying institutional quality through multidimensional academic and economic metrics.
Prospective students can use these rankings to compare the financial and academic outcomes of Michigan universities when finalizing their applications. The net cost and graduation rate figures provide a benchmark for families to gauge the practical value of local institutions.
The takeaway
Students should consider how different metrics, such as student-faculty ratios or net costs, align with their specific academic goals and financial situations. Relying on aggregate rankings is only one component of a thorough and personalized college selection process.
Further reading
For more information on the current landscape, visit Michigan College Applications.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WWMT.
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