These Are the 5 Worst Community Colleges in Michigan

Not all community colleges are created equal.

A new study commissioned by the personal finance website WalletHub reveals that some of the most well-known community colleges in Michigan are among the ones that rank the worst when it comes to educational and career outcomes.

SEE ALSO: One of Michigan's Best Community Colleges Is in Lansing

Unlike typical 4-year universities, community colleges usually offer associate degrees that can be earned in 2 years. Community college graduates may opt to end their educational journeys there, or transfer to a 4-year college or university in pursuit of a bachelor's degree or beyond.

How Were the Best and Worst Community Colleges Determined?

WalletHub looked at a variety of factors when ranking Michigan's community colleges.

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Cost and financing were among the criteria considered, as were student-faculty ratios, graduation rates, graduate salaries and student loan default rates.

SEE ALSO: 3 of America's Safest College Towns Are in Michigan

Two Michigan community colleges - Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek and West Shore Community College in Scottville - actually rank among the nation's top ten percent.

But which community colleges fare the worst? Let's take a look at the bottom five.

5. North Central Michigan College in Petoskey, Michigan

North Central Michigan College in Petoskey ranks as the 5th worst community college in the state. Its cost and financing score isn't bad, and neither is its score for education outcomes; however, the college lags in the category of career outcomes - such as its student loan default rate, median salaries a decade after entering the college, and the percentage of its former students earning more than $25,000 (about the average earnings of a high school graduate aged 25 to 34) six years after they first enrolled.

4. Kirtland Community College in Grayling, Michigan

Kirtland Community College in Grayling ranks as the state's 4th worst community college. It is 2nd-worst in Michigan in the cost and financing category.

3. Wayne County Community College District in Detroit, Michigan

Wayne County Community College District is based in Detroit, with a total of six campuses. The institution ranks as the 3rd worst community college in Michigan.

2. Oakland Community College in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Oakland Community College is based in Bloomfield Hills and ranks as the 2nd worst community college in Michigan. Only 17 community colleges across the nation score worse in the education outcomes category - including metrics such as first-year retention rate, graduation rate, and student-faculty ratio.

1. Mid Michigan College in Harrison, Michigan

Michigan's lowest-ranked community college is Mid Michigan College in Harrison. It's worst in the state for cost and financing, and scores in the nation's lower half of community colleges when it comes to education and career outcomes.

The full WalletHub study can be found here.