UM-Flint named one of the state's best online schools by Forbes Advisor

Even without assistance from Ryan Seacrest or David Letterman, the University of Michigan-Flint has been featured in a recent top 10 list. Forbes Advisor named the downtown Flint campus one of Michigan's best online schools, coming in at No. 5.

The complete rankings are available on the Forbes Advisor website.

"We are thrilled to be recognized by Forbes as one of the top online schools in Michigan," said Nick Gaspar, director of the Office of Online & Digital Education. "This ranking underscores our commitment to providing flexible, high-quality education that transcends geographical boundaries. At UM-Flint, we continue to innovate and adapt our online offerings to meet the diverse needs of our students, empowering them to achieve their academic and professional goals no matter where they are."

Forbes Advisor scored 38 accredited nonprofit colleges offering online bachelor's degree programs in Michigan using 18 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience, and application process using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites.

They then chose the 10 best schools to display based on those receiving a curved final score of 93% or higher.

A full list of methodologies used to determine the rankings can be found online.  

"This recognition of our online programs' quality does not surprise me with more than two decades of faculty experience teaching in this modality," said Yener Kandogan, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. "Our faculty continually improve their teaching effectiveness by adopting the newest technology and diverse ways to engage their students in online courses."

UM-Flint, which first began offering online programs in 2000, features a variety of online programs – bachelor's, master's, doctoral and degree completion options – that deliver the same rigorous education as its on-campus programs. Students are awarded diplomas from the globally recognized University of Michigan name that employers recognize.

The Association of Public & Land-Grand Universities states that college-educated workers enjoy a substantial earnings premium. On an annual basis, median earnings for bachelor's degree holders are $36,000 or 84% more than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma. The earnings gap between college graduates and those with less education continues to widen. In 2022, median income for recent graduates reached $52,000 a year for bachelor's degree holders aged 22–27. For high school graduates the same age, median earnings are $32,320 a year.

To learn more about UM-Flint's online offerings, visit its online degrees and certificates webpage.