Michigan is one of the greatest states in the nation. It's home to the automobile industry that brought us into a truly modern era and it's been the home of innovation and advancement ever since. To fuel that progress, Michigan colleges and universities have risen up to provide the skills and knowledge needed for it to continue. The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, for instance, is one of the nation's very best institutes of higher learning. Scholars from the University of Michigan have gone on to propel businesses in Michigan, Chicago, New York, and wherever innovation and high profits reign. The other schools in the University of Michigan system, as well as the many other Michigan public and private colleges, contribute their fair share to building a state and nation dedicated to progress.
What are the most popular bachelor's degrees offered in Michigan?
In Michigan, bachelor's degrees are available in a wide spectrum of fields. You can study engineering and go on to design cars for the automobile industry, or you could help run a corporation as a manager or financial genius. Health Sciences are also very popular, as are majors that feed the business world.
Keep in mind that just because business and medical-related majors dominate the scene that doesn't mean you can't study what you wish. Don't forget that nationwide, Health Administration is a popular major, where you can employ business acumen to the healthcare sector. You could also study Political Science and work in the Michigan statehouse, or even in Washington DC as a lobbyist, policy analyst, or even intelligence. Nevertheless, here are the top majors in Michigan:
Michigan withstood some rather tough economic times in the early 2000s, but it appears to have rebounded nicely. With the return to strength in the automotive sector, among others, the state is again in the top ten in many areas. For instance, Michigan is said to rank #1 for engineers, #3 for durable goods manufacturing, and #7 for manufacturing output. Currently, Michigan's unemployment rate is 3.9%, slightly above the national average of 3.7%.
Top Accounting Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Tax Preparers
1,070
$45,200
IRS Agent
620
$78,000
Financial Adviser
5,320
$59,800
Financial Manager
15,040
$92,600
Consultant
13,540
$74,600
Tax Preparers: As tax accountant or preparer, you will need a full working knowledge of IRS tax forms, as well as the tax code in general. You will show real worth to clients when you find new deductions for them. With a CPA license, you will have more responsibility and can sign off on tax documents, help create tax shelters, and more.
IRS Agent: This is a great career to pursue straight out of college. You will assess tax documents, perform audits, and otherwise enforce the US Tax Code. If you are getting ready to graduate with a degree in accounting and have student loan debt, if you work for a government agency you can defer loans and have them discharged.
Financial Adviser: Everyone wants to save money for a rainy day, including retirement. As a financial adviser, you will work with clients in the service of creating real wealth with their savings. You might assist with equity purchases, structure trust funds, or consult on strategic asset purchases designed to build wealth and value in their portfolio.
Financial Manager: Corporations need Financial Managers to help them allocate assets in ways that help the organization build value while also reducing tax exposure. You will structure debt to help avoid taxation and create long-term financial plans for the company.
Accountant and Accounting Consultant: Accountants are experts at a few things, one of which is efficiency. When you graduate, you will be able to assess systems and audit them for inefficiencies. Your studies will show you how to comb through the ledgers and weigh a variety of variables to help your client find a better way of doing business.
Best Michigan Schools for Accounting
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Western Michigan University
Michigan State
Northern Michigan University
Top Careers in Business Administration - Management
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Cost Estimators
6,910
$56,800
Sales Managers
9,440
$61,600
Industrial and Production Managers
12,820
$72,400
Logistician
8,280
$66,700
Construction Managers
5,090
$78,000
Cost Estimators: Whether you're contracting to paint a house or build a skyscraper, you need an estimate from which to determine a budget. In this career, you will assess the value of projects and their projected costs. Since investors will base their participation on your numbers, you will need specialized training.
Sales Managers: After spending several years in the sales field, you might decide to move inside to work as a sales team leader. Your days will be comprised of motivating the sales team, helping them discover new leads, and perhaps assisting when new salespeople need help closing a deal.
Industrial and Production Managers: If you study management with a minor in engineering, you might consider this position. You could work with the teams running the assembly lines in one of Michigan's famed automotive plants.
Logistician: Have you ever tracked a package on its way from overseas to your home? Logisticians do that, plus they discover new routes and assess methodologies for shipping resources and products worldwide. You could work with a shipping company or with an import/export company that relies on you to assess the best ways to send or receive goods.
Construction Managers: In a construction project, there are many moving parts. As a manager, you will need to coordinate all of those parts, from whole teams to the actions of single workers. Your job will take you to worksites all over your region, or perhaps all over the nation.
Occupational Therapist: This is one of the most diversified careers in Health Science. Your work life can proceed in a variety of settings, including private practice, a hospital ward, or even overseas. Ultimately, your job will be to help your patients overcome obstacles to lead their best life.
Physical Therapist: Your primary duty as a Physical Therapist will be to help patients regain, or attain, full mobility. They might have been injured in traumatic automobile accidents or perhaps they are recovering from a stroke.
Radiology Technician: In order to make a proper diagnosis, doctors frequently order MRIs, CT Scans, or PET scans. That's where you come in. You will operate the machine and walk patients through the process of such an examination.
Registered Nurse: RNs are the backbone of every hospital staff. In this job, you will work with doctors and patients to deliver optimal care. This career opens up a wide range of possibilities, as you could work as a Psychiatric Nurse, Maternity Nurse, or an OR Nurse, among other possibilities. You are likely to wear many hats throughout your career.
Nurse Practitioner: Somewhere between a full MD and an RN lies the Nurse Practitioner. In this position, you can perform most of the tasks of a fully-licensed Medical Doctor, but without the legal liability. That is, you will work under a doctor's license when you perform examinations and write prescriptions.
Healthcare Administrator: Healthcare administrators help with strategic planning, preparing budgets, risk management, and marketing to keep the facilities operations running smoothly. There are many skills that are necessary to become a successful healthcare administrator.
Best Michigan Schools for Health Sciences
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Western Michigan University
Ferris State University
Wayne State University
Top Finance Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Financial Analyst
9,580
$61,500
Stockbroker
9,010
$58,100
Financial Examiner
450
$64,900
Financial Manager
15,040
$92,600
Actuary
740
$95,300
Financial Analyst: With a degree in finance and/or accounting, you work for a company or financial institution to analyze financial statements and help the organization avoid tax exposure while building on assets to create more wealth. You might help procure equity securities or other assets, or you might look for places to cut payroll.
Stockbroker: As a sales agent for equities, commodities, and other financial instruments, you will assist individuals and organizations with their overall financial well-being. When not working directly with clients, you will study the market to assess the best moves for your existing clients as well as discovering the best moves for people entering the market for the first time.
Financial Examiner: Sometimes this career is called Risk Management, as you will need a working knowledge of law so that your firm remains in compliance. To prepare for this job you might study Finance/Accounting but also Business Law. You might find yourself working for a financial institution, your state government, even the federal government.
Financial Manager: In this position, you will train and oversee a team of financial analysts. You could work for a small business or perhaps in corporate finance. With the results of your team, you will advise the company on how to maintain optimum financial health and well-being.
Actuary: Your job as an actuary will be to assess risk for an organization. This career path is most often associated with Insurance, as that industry is concerned with avoiding risk so as to avoid additional expenditures. You'll need a strong background in mathematics and accounting to pursue this rewarding career path.
Best Michigan Schools for Finance
Kettering University
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Michigan State
Western Michigan
Wayne State
Top Marketing Careers and Salaries
CAREER NAME
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Market Research Analyst
18,840
$54,600
Marketing Managers
4,510
$66,000
Sales Managers
9,440
$61,600
Advertising Account Rep
500
$48,300
Public Relations
6,270
$49,500
Market Research Analyst: Every firm needs to understand the market data it collects from focus groups, interviews, and surveys, among other sources. They need market research analysts to parse it all with the goal of directing sales and advertising strategies.
Marketing Managers: As a marketing manager, you will head up marketing initiatives and projects focused on enhancing sales for your company. You might work with a team of research analysts who, under your lead, put together presentations for the C-level executives. You can also brief the sales team with the information you found regarding new products or shifting demographics in their territory.
Sales Managers: If you are a born leader, love working with people, and know what motivates people to work harder and smarter, then Sales Manager is a great aspiration for you. You will probably start in the field, selling wares for your company. When you have experience, you might be charged with leading the sales team.
Advertising Account Representative: Your job in this position will be to help land clients for an advertising agency and then coordinate between the clients and your creative team. You will need to translate the needs of your client to the creatives, and then present their creations to the client.
Public Relations: Your job in this position will be to manage the public profile of your client. You might work with an organization, such as a major corporation, or an individual. You job may entail analyzing survey data to determine what people think of your client, but then sending out press releases, arranging events, and more to keep the client's profile strong and positive.
Are you interested in a career that requires vocational training? Or maybe you are looking for an affordable way to complete all your general education requirements before pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Either way, you might want to consider applying for a two-year degree program, and where better to start than with the best programs available in Michigan? You can gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in your preferred field in just two years, or transfer the credits earned to another institution in the future.
Alpena Community College
College Type 4-year, primarily associate's, Public
Gain the knowledge and skills you need to enter the field of your dreams after graduation by choosing one of these top-rated undergraduate colleges in Michigan. These four-year bachelor’s degree programs are some of the finest higher education options available. Whether you intend to join the workforce immediately or plan to earn a more advanced degree, enrolling in one of the best colleges in the state will prepare you for future academic and career advancement.
You can enhance your employment prospects by considering earning a master’s degree in Michigan. Graduate and doctoral degree programs offer a wide variety of benefits to graduates, who often make more money, qualify for career advancement opportunities, and enjoy enhanced job security after they graduate. Regardless of your field of interest, choosing to pursue an advanced degree from a top college in the state will set you up for great future success. Learn about the best MBA programs in Michigan.
Educational costs are on the rise. However, so are salaries. If you want to attain a top salary form a top firm, you will need the very best education you can afford. Thankfully, in Michigan you can study at some of the nation's very best universities and go on to land the best jobs available. The great thing is that most these universities are public.
This means that if you are a Michigander and have great high school grades, you can attend the University of Michigan for the in-state rate. It's immensely beneficial to attain and maintain your in-state status for the sake of a lower tuition. That's because if you attend University of Michigan-Ann Arbor as an out-of-state student, for instance, you will pay approximately three times the rate of an in-state student. While that price is still a value when compared to some equivalent private universities, if you can cut costs, you should.
Another way to cut costs is by applying for grants and scholarships. When you submit a FAFSA form for your financial aid, you will automatically be considered for a long list of scholarships. Most students will stop there and wait to see what, if any, scholarships select them. However, you should also seek out outside sources of free money. If you have a profession in mind, there may be an association that funds its student-members, and there might even be money from churches or social organizations in your hometown. Look around and be creative. Every year scholarship money is left sitting on the table, unclaimed.
Finally, if you foresee graduating with significant student loan debt, look into federal loan forgiveness programs. Currently, students with debt who apply their degrees to work in non-profit organizations or governmental agencies can avoid payments altogether. You may need to maintain steady employment in one of these sectors for up to ten years, but the experience will pay off. In fact, many government jobs are quite well-paid. Plus, they often compensate employees with generous benefits packages, thus making up for any shortfalls on payday. While your private-sector friends might boast higher salaries, they also are paying interest on large loans.
College Cost Analysis - Michigan vs National
Average Michigan Tuition & Fees at 4 Year Public Schools
In-State Tuition - $12,888
National Average – $9,580
Out-of-State Tuition – $35,844
National Average – $27,437
Percentage of Students Receiving Financial Aid
Michigan tracks well with the national averages when it comes to receiving financial aid for college. In terms of the percent receiving grants and the overall cash received, the state is just slightly under the average numbers.
Financial Aid
Michigan
Nationally
Received Federal Grants
37%
37.7%
Average $ per Recipient
$10,592
$10,927
* Institutional aid represents grant and scholarship funds directly awarded by a postsecondary institution.
* Financial aid data represents 4-year public and private nonprofit schools only.
Best Scholarships for Michigan
One of the best ways to help pay for your Michigan bachelor's degree is through scholarships and other free money. In order to receive most scholarships, you need to demonstrate financial need for the award, but also outstanding scholarship. Many will also be contingent on your membership in a professional association, or at least having a specific major that is of interest.
KFLP
KPMG Future Leaders Program
https://womensleadership.kpmg.us/charitable.html Amount: $10,000 (per year for 4 years) Deadline: January 31 This program runs in conjunction with the Office of Dr. Condoleeza Rice. Twenty top women in their final year of high school will be selected for scholarships, a leadership retreat at Stanford University, mentorship, and an introduction to the game of golf. The program aims to bolster the confidence to lead and succeed.
CEW
Center for the Education of Women
http://www.cew.umich.edu/news-story/2019-20-u-m-cew-fellowship-application-deadline-is-february-1-2019/ Amount: $2,000-$5,000 Deadline: February 1 Each year, CEW awards 55 scholarships that vary in award from $2,000-$5,000, though larger awards are possible. The full award could cover close to half of a year at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. The scholarships are available for women attending UofM at Ann Arbor, Dearborn, or Flint.
https://www.mi-wea.org/docs/MWEA_Wagner_Scholarship_Info.pdf Amount: $2,000 Deadline: February 1 The Michigan Water Environment Association administers this $2,000 scholarship that goes to a student pursuing a career in Operations for Wastewater Treatment. To apply, make sure you have a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5, be enrolled in a Michigan college or university, and demonstrate that you major will lead to a career in Operations for Wastewater Treatment.
DLBMS
Dale and Lynn Bentley Memorial Scholarship
https://www.mi-wea.org/docs/Dale_and_Lynn_Bentley_Memorial_Scholarship.pdf Amount: $2,500 Deadline: February 1 This is another scholarship under the stewardship of the Michigan Water Environmental Association. To qualify, you must be studying a field concerned with the environment. Your application should include an essay that details how your major will position you to pursue a career that benefits the environment. Transcripts, resume, and a cover letter should be in your application packet.
MEA
Michigan Education Association
https://www.mea.org/mea-scholarship/ Amount: Various Deadline: Varies
If one of your parents is a member of the MEA, you could be eligible for this scholarship program. Your high school must also be MEA-affiliated, in that it has a MEA bargaining unit. To qualify, you should be headed to a public Michigan college or university. The MEA also awards scholars who are headed to a select group of Michigan private colleges: Baker College-Flint/Owosso; University of Detroit–Mercy; Adrian College; Finlandia University; and Albion College. However, if you find another MEA-affiliated private college, the association may consider it.
