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Cheapest community colleges in Michigan

Community colleges in Michigan ranked by published in-state tuition, lowest first. Published tuition is the sticker price; the price you actually pay is typically much lower after federal Pell grants and state aid. Use this list as a starting point, then file the FAFSA to see your real cost.

  1. Saginaw Chippewa Tribal CollegeMount Pleasant, MI$2,730
  2. Oakland Community CollegeAuburn Hills, MI$3,020
  3. Macomb Community CollegeWarren, MI$3,660
  4. Lansing Community CollegeLansing, MI$4,100
  5. Kellogg Community CollegeBattle Creek, MI$4,118
  6. Kalamazoo Valley Community CollegeKalamazoo, MI$4,144
  7. Glen Oaks Community CollegeCentreville, MI$4,176
  8. Grand Rapids Community CollegeGrand Rapids, MI$4,179
  9. West Shore Community CollegeScottville, MI$4,470
  10. Montcalm Community CollegeSidney, MI$4,662
  11. Schoolcraft Community College DistrictLivonia, MI$4,736
  12. Monroe County Community CollegeMonroe, MI$4,759
  13. Gogebic Community CollegeIronwood, MI$4,800
  14. Delta CollegeUniversity Center, MI$4,820
  15. Kirtland Community CollegeGrayling, MI$5,190
  16. St Clair County Community CollegePort Huron, MI$5,212
  17. Alpena Community CollegeAlpena, MI$5,250
  18. North Central Michigan CollegePetoskey, MI$5,430
  19. Lake Michigan CollegeBenton Harbor, MI$5,445
  20. Bay de Noc Community CollegeEscanaba, MI$5,712
  21. Northwestern Michigan CollegeTraverse City, MI$5,860
  22. Mid Michigan CollegeHarrison, MI$6,132
  23. Southwestern Michigan CollegeDowagiac, MI$6,417
  24. Mott Community CollegeFlint, MI$6,845
  25. Muskegon Community CollegeMuskegon, MI$7,250

Reading the list

The figures above are the published in-state tuition rates each Michigan community college reports to the U.S. Department of Education. These are the rates posted to the institution's tuition schedule before any aid is applied. For most Michigan community-college students, federal Pell grants alone cover a substantial share of tuition, and state aid programs in Michigan often cover the remainder for residents who qualify. Out-of-state tuition is typically higher; check the individual college profile for both rates.

Tuition alone is not the right comparison for a complete cost picture. The College Scorecard also reports total annual cost of attendance — tuition plus required fees, books, room and board (if applicable), and other expenses — which is the more meaningful number when you are budgeting for a year of school. Each college's full profile lists cost of attendance alongside tuition. For students who can live at home and avoid room-and-board costs, the gap between tuition and cost of attendance shrinks substantially.

If your goal is the lowest possible total cost, the cheapest tuition isn't always the right pick. A slightly more expensive program with a higher transfer rate or stronger articulation agreement with a four-year university may produce a lower total degree cost overall, because lost credit on transfer can erase the savings of a low community-college tuition.