UM-Dearborn vs. Northwood University-Michigan

Should I go to University of Michigan Dearborn or Northwood University Michigan? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UM-Dearborn or Northwood University-Michigan is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of Michigan Dearborn vs. Northwood University Michigan comparison
University of Michigan Dearborn Northwood University Michigan College 3 College 4
University of Michigan Dearborn Northwood University Michigan
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Overview

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
Location Dearborn, MI Midland, MI
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,035 2,360
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #405 #640
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umich.edu northwood.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
Tuition (In State) $14,544 $31,400
Tuition (Out of State) $30,960 $31,400
Room & Board $10,803 $12,500
Avg Net Price $12,798 $26,429
Avg Grant Aid $9,552 $20,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 100%

Admission

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,373 2,074
Admitted 7,254 1,740
Acceptance Rate 58.6% 83.9%
Enrolled % 15.9% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 17/23
SAT Range 990/1260 950/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (93%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)
  • Health Professions (1%)
  • Communication (1%)

Outcomes

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
Graduation Rate 49% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,800 $50,500
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $21,775
Median Loan Payment $266 $225

Diversity

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
% Men 15% 9%
% Women 9% 7%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 69% 67%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 13%

Students

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
% In-State 93% 83%
% Out-of-State 3% 15%

Campus

 UM-Dearborn Northwood University-Michigan
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is larger than than Northwood University-Michigan based on total student enrollment (8,035 students vs. 2,360 students)

UM-Dearborn vs. Northwood University-Michigan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UM-Dearborn or Northwood University-Michigan?

  • Northwood University Michigan is 115.9% more expensive to attend than UM-Dearborn for in-state tuition ($31,400.00 vs. $14,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at Northwood University-Michigan than University of Michigan Dearborn ($31,400.00 vs. $30,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan Dearborn than Northwood University-Michigan ($12,798 vs. $26,429)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 15.7% lower than costs at Northwood University Michigan ($10,803 vs. $12,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwood University Michigan than University of Michigan Dearborn (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwood University Michigan students is 116.6% larger than aid received University of Michigan Dearborn ($20,685 vs. $9,552)

UM-Dearborn vs. Northwood University-Michigan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UM-Dearborn or Northwood University-Michigan? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwood University-Michigan or UM-Dearborn .

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan Dearborn (1105) is 79 points higher than at Northwood University-Michigan (1026)
  • Incoming UM-Dearborn students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northwood University-Michigan (22)
  • Accepted freshman UM-Dearborn students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Northwood University-Michigan (3.41)
  • Northwood University-Michigan has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than UM-Dearborn (58.6%)

UM-Dearborn vs. Northwood University-Michigan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UM-Dearborn or Northwood University-Michigan? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Northwood University-Michigan and UM-Dearborn.

  • The graduation rate at Northwood University-Michigan is higher than University of Michigan Dearborn (53% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from University of Michigan Dearborn earn on average $2,300 more per year than Northwood University-Michigan graduates after ten years. ($52,800 vs. $50,500)
  • Northwood University Michigan students graduate with a $3,975 lower median federal student loan debt than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($21,775 vs. $25,750)
  • Northwood University-Michigan graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($225 vs. $266)
  • More Northwood University-Michigan graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/