Michigan Colleges – Online Reporting, Research & Writing

Tuition costs in Michigan

It is always interesting when comparing college cost because they are always on the rise. The prices can change year to year and they are only going up!

We are going to compare sixteen 4-year universities in Michigan. The total cost of a year in college can range from $15,419.36 to $25,204.00 in 2017.

The University of Michigan -Dearborn cost is lowest in-state cost with your total cost being $15,419.36. The room and board are the lowest at U-M Dearborn, at $1,600.00! However, if you want to live in Ann Arbor you are going to pay the most at $9,468.00.

The cost of college can be very overwhelming, but don’t be scared of student debt. There are many ways that can cut the cost. There are scholarships, grants, and final aid is available for those students who qualify. I currently do not pay for room and board. I commute to and from school, so that also saves me money. Don’t be afraid of students debt. You can’t put a price tag on education!

Inaccurate total tuition costs in comparative report

What is interesting about the comparative report of Michigan schools is that the University of Michigan – Dearborn has the lowest tuition out of the sixteen four-year universities.

Since it is a commuter school, room and board is only counted as $1,600. However, this is not always the case. The university has housing but it is not necessarily attached to the school’s name until recently.

Living at the Union at Dearborn, students are able to get a 10-month or 12-month lease with up to four occupants per room. Prices start at $600 per month.

This being said, the comparative report is not as accurate as it could be. The University of Michigan – Flint has recorded that room and board is $2,148, which is also not true. Both University of Michigan branches have Union’s attached to them with similar pricing.

This proves that the prices of total tuition are always changing, but this has always been the case of a student living at both University of Michigan Dearborn and Flint branches.

Michigan college comparison data story

Using Google’s Advanced Search Engine I was able to find different collections of data regarding Michigan Colleges including one I used to make a data story out of. This was an Excel sheet that covered the demographics, admission basics, and costs of Michigan colleges from 2-year, 4-year, and private schools.

Using Google’s Advanced Search to find Excel formatted data of Michigan colleges.

The section that was of most interest to me was the costs of the colleges. I was able to manipulate the data and sort it from most to least expensive universities in Michigan using the Sort and Filter tool on Excel. This allowed me to see exactly how much each university costs to attend and was helpful in organizing information in the way I needed in order to make my data story.

In fact, in terms of total expenses including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and expenses for in-state freshmen of 4-year Michigan Universities, University of Michigan-Dearborn was the least expensive. It makes me proud to know that I can get a great education at a school that is rather affordable!