UM-Flint earns top marks in Niche's 2027 Best Colleges rankings

The University of Michigan-Flint is among the top 10 colleges and universities in the state and one of Michigan's best institutions for value, nursing and online education, according to Niche's newly released 2027 Best Colleges rankings.

UM-Flint ranks No. 7 among 38 institutions on Niche's Best Colleges in Michigan list, placing it ahead of other schools including the University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Detroit Mercy and Ferris State University.

The university earned even higher marks in several statewide individual categories, including:

• No. 2 Best Value College.
• No. 2 Best College for Nursing.
• No. 5 Top Public University.
• No. 7 College with the Best Professors.
• No. 7 Best College for Accounting and Finance.
• No. 7 Best College for Computer Science.

Nationally, UM-Flint ranks No. 15 among 283 institutions for Best Online Colleges in America, No. 49 among 1,450 Best Value Colleges and No. 51 among 796 Best Colleges for Nursing. The university also ranks No. 121 among 586 public universities nationwide.

The recognition arrives as UM-Flint continues a period of sustained growth and investment in academics and the student experience.

"Rankings are one measure of a university's success, but it is especially meaningful is when they reflect what our students and families are already telling us through their choices," said Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander. "For the past three years, UM-Flint has been Michigan's fastest-growing public university based on percentage enrollment growth. Students are responding to the value of a UM-Flint degree, our outstanding academic programs, dedicated faculty and the opportunities we're creating for them both inside and outside the classroom. These rankings provide another indication that our momentum is real and that our approach is working."

UM-Flint's enrollment increased from 5,985 students in fall 2022 to more than 7,100 in fall 2025, a cumulative increase of nearly 19%. The university recorded year-over-year gains of 2.4% in 2023, 6.5% in 2024 and 9.1% in 2025. The fall 2025 increase pushed enrollment above 7,000 for the first time since 2019, while the university also welcomed the largest transfer class in its 70-year history.

The Niche rankings add to a growing list of external recognition for UM-Flint's academic programs.

Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked the university's nurse anesthesia program No. 60 nationally, up 20 positions from the previous year, while physical therapy climbed 18 spots to No. 87 and occupational therapy rose 26 spots to No. 125. The rankings also included UM-Flint programs in supply chain logistics, business, public health and education.

UM-Flint's online bachelor's degree in data science was ranked No. 5 nationally by TechGuide, while the university's online Bachelor of Business Administration was named Michigan's top program of its kind by U.S. News for the sixth consecutive year.

Affordability has remained central to that growth. UM-Flint's tuition is the fourth lowest among Michigan's 15 public universities, and the university's Go Blue Guarantee provides free tuition to qualifying Michigan students. Niche's No. 2 Best Value College ranking in Michigan further reflects that emphasis on providing an accessible University of Michigan education.

Niche evaluated more than 4,000 colleges and universities for its 2027 rankings. Its methodology combines federal data from sources including the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation with enrollment, tuition, financial aid and alumni earnings data and more than one million reviews from students and alumni. Rankings consider factors such as academics, value, professors, student life, diversity and campus quality.

The 2027 rankings also introduce an Institutional Success Score designed to compare institutions with similar missions and outcomes, along with pilot measures examining student wellness and "future readiness," including career services, internships and exposure to emerging technologies.

Taken together, Alexander said, the university's enrollment growth and increasing external recognition demonstrate the results of a broader strategy focused on academic quality, affordability, career preparation and student success.

"We aren't interested in growth simply for growth's sake," Alexander said. "Our focus is on creating an institution that students choose because they can see a clear connection between the education they receive here and the future they want to build. When enrollment, external recognition and student success all begin moving in the same direction, that's a powerful indication that we're delivering on that promise."