Northwestern Michigan College

1701 E Front St
Traverse City, MI 49686
Top Ranked (2024-25): View Rankings
  • 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 3,296 students (35% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 8:1 is lower than the state community college average of 14:1.
Minority enrollment is 97% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the state average of 86%.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 3,296 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,645
  • Out-state tuition: $6,994
  • Student:teacher ratio: 8:1
  • Minority enrollment: 97%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

Northwestern Michigan College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Michigan for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 437 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Northwestern Michigan College
(MI) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
Four or more years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
437 staff
224 staff
This chart displays total faculty of Northwestern Michigan College and community college average number of faculty in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Northwestern Michigan College has declined by 7% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 8:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The Northwestern Michigan College diversity score of 0.37 is less than the state average of 0.64. The school's diversity has grown by 10% over five years.
Total Enrollment
3,296 students
2,074 students
This chart displays the total enrollment of Northwestern Michigan College and community college average number of enrollment of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
8:1
14:1
This chart displays the student staff ratio of Northwestern Michigan College and community college average student staff ratio of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
1,162 students
726 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Northwestern Michigan College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
2,134 students
1,348 students
This chart displays the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Northwestern Michigan College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
This chart displays the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Northwestern Michigan College.
This chart displays community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of Michigan.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
227 students
298 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
1,162 students
737 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Northwestern Michigan College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
4 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
2,134 students
1,287 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
4 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
511 students
178 students
This chart displays the dormitory capacity of Northwestern Michigan College and the community college average dormitory capacity of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
3%
This chart displays the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Asian
1%
14%
This chart displays the percentage of Asian students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of Asian community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hispanic
n/a
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of Hispanic students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Black
4%
6%
This chart displays the percentage of Black students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of Black community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% White
3%
14%
This chart displays the percentage of White students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of White community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hawaiian
79%
56%
This chart displays the percentage of Hawaiian students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of Hawaiian community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Two or more races
7%
5%
This chart displays the percentage of Two or more races students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Non Resident races
n/a
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of Non Resident students in Northwestern Michigan College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in Michigan by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
5%
2%
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Northwestern Michigan College.
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Michigan.
Diversity Score
0.37
0.64
This chart displays the diversity score of Northwestern Michigan College and the community college average diversity score of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
17%
14%
This chart displays completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Northwestern Michigan College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Michigan by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
0.2287%
0.2287%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$33,000
$30,700
This chart displays average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Northwestern Michigan College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Michigan by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $5,645 is more than the state average of $4,952. The in-state tuition has declined by 25% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $6,994 is more than the state average of $6,896. The out-state tuition has declined by 27% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$5,645
$4,952
This chart displays tuition fees for an in-state student of Northwestern Michigan College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$6,994
$6,896
This chart displays tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Northwestern Michigan College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
77%
89%
This chart displays the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Northwestern Michigan College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$12,836
$11,704
This chart displays median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Northwestern Michigan College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$5,500
This chart displays median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Northwestern Michigan College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Michigan by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
98%
Source: 2023 (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.
What is Northwestern Michigan College's ranking?
Northwestern Michigan College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Michigan for: Average community college minority breakdown.

Recent Articles

How to Learn Online Successfully
How to Learn Online Successfully
In this article, we discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that adult learners face while learning online. We offer you practical tips on creating a productive learning environment, managing your time effectively, and making the most of your course's resources.
Community Colleges Fight Back Against For-Profit Attacks: The Rebuttal
Community Colleges Fight Back Against For-Profit Attacks: The Rebuttal
After being attacked by private colleges, community colleges are mounting a defense and publishing studies that clearly outline the differences between the public and private institutions.
Why President Obama is Hailed as the Community College President
Why President Obama is Hailed as the Community College President
Learn how President Obama, who is considered the "Community College President," has rightly earned his title based upon his proposed funding and support for community colleges throughout the country.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 3,296 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,645
  • Out-state tuition: $6,994
  • Student:teacher ratio: 8:1
  • Minority enrollment: 97%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For Michigan public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $4,952 per year for in-state students and $6,896 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $11,103 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in Michigan is 86%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

Michigan community colleges have a diversity score of 0.64, which is lower than the national average of 0.75. The most diverse community college in Michigan is MIAT College of Technology. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

Quick Links