Northwestern Michigan College

  • Northwestern Michigan College is a community college established in 1951 in Traverse City, Michigan. Our enrollment for credited classes is approximately 5,000 students per semester. NMC offers associates degrees and professional certificates at our main campuses, and through our University Center, we grant baccalaureate and graduate degrees from 10 partner universities.

School Highlights

Northwestern Michigan College serves 3,253 students (38% of students are full-time).
The college's student-teacher ratio of 26:1 is lower than the state community college average of 33:1.
Minority enrollment is 23% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 40%.

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • Enrollment: 3,253 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,645
  • Out-state tuition: $6,994
  • Student-teacher ratio: 26:1
  • Minority enrollment: 23%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Overview

The teacher population of 124 teachers has declined by 71% over five years.
Northwestern Michigan College
(MI) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associate's Colleges
Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional
Institution Level
Four or more years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Year Founded
1951
Campus Size
100 acres
Total Faculty
124 staff
70 staff
School Calendar

Student Body

The student population of Northwestern Michigan College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student-teacher ratio of 26:1 has increased from 8:1 over five years.
The Northwestern Michigan College diversity score of 0.39 is less than the state average of 0.60. The school's diversity has grown by 61% over five years.
Total Enrollment
3,253 students
2,473 students

Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data

Student-Teacher Ratio
26:1
33:1
# Full-Time Students
1,232 students
889 students

Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data

# Part-Time Students
2,021 students
1,584 students

Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data

# Enrollment Undergraduate
3,253 students
2,151 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
1,232 students
961 students

Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data

# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
2,021 students
1,658 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
511 students
114 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
1%

Showing 2008–2025. View full 19-year historical data

% Asian
1%
3%
% Hispanic
5%
7%

Showing 2008–2025. View full 19-year historical data

% Black
1%
16%

Showing 2008–2025. View full 19-year historical data

% White
77%
60%

Showing 2010–2025. View full 19-year historical data

% Two or more races
4%
4%
% Unknown races
11%
8%
Diversity Score
0.39
0.60

Showing 2011–2025. View full 19-year historical data

College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
17%
15%
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
0.2429%
n/a
Median Earnings 10 Years After Entry (measured in 2022-2023, in 2024 dollars)
$44,186
$41,695

Points are in the dollars of their own College Scorecard release, and the colleges behind the state line differ by period. The lines do not show inflation-adjusted growth.

Tuition & Financial Aid

The public in-state tuition of $5,645 is more than the state average of $4,930. The in-state tuition has declined by 33% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $6,994 is more than the state average of $6,838. The out-state tuition has declined by 35% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$5,645
$4,930

Showing 2008–2025. View full 19-year historical data

Out-State Tuition Fees
$6,994
$6,838
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
88%
89%

Showing 2012–2025. View full 19-year historical data

Median Debt for Graduates
$12,836
$11,915

Showing 2008–2020. View full 14-year historical data

Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$5,500

Showing 2008–2020. View full 14-year historical data

Source: 2025 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • NMC is the country's only college to have a Maritime academy on fresh water. The Great Lakes Maritime Academy is located at the spectacular Great Lakes Campus located on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay, a long protected water of Lake Michigan. Maritime is one of six state maritime academies that receives aid from the federal Maritime Administration. The Great Lakes Campus also houses the Great Lakes Culinary Institute, the only culinary school in Northern Michigan. NMC is home to the Dennos Museum Center, the Rogers Observatory, the Water Studies Institute, and the Michigan Technical Education Center, which operates one of the few community college Aviation programs in the country. NMC's extensive extended education program offers a vast array of non-credit classes to over 10,000 local residents annually. NMC offers one Associate in Science & Arts (ASA) degree: General Liberal Arts & Sciences, that is designed as a degree to prepare students for transfer to four-year schools. This can combine courses from several academic areas. NMC offers several Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees and certificates through these Academic Areas: Aviation, Business, Bridge Program, Communications, Computer Information Systems (IT), Great Lakes Culinary Institute, Great Lakes Maritime Academy, Health Occupations, Humanities, M-TEC: Michigan Technical Education Center Physical Education, Science/Math and Social Science. The Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College is the region's premier cultural facility offering both major exhibitions in the arts and sciences and live performances in jazz, blues, folk and world music by national and international artists. The museum averages 60,000 visits a year, holds one of the largest and most historically complete collections of Inuit art in the United States, and won the Governor's Arts Award for Arts and Culture in 2000.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Northwestern Michigan College cost?
Northwestern Michigan College's tuition is approximately $5,645 for In-State students and $6,994 for Out-State students.

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • Enrollment: 3,253 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,645
  • Out-state tuition: $6,994
  • Student-teacher ratio: 26:1
  • Minority enrollment: 23%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For Michigan public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $4,930 per year for in-state students and $6,838 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $9,806 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in Michigan is 97%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

Michigan community colleges have a diversity score of 0.60, which is lower than the national average of 0.74. The most diverse community college in Michigan is Taylor Andrews Academy of Hair Design-Hair Lab Detroit Barber School. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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