Best Economics Schools Near Muskegon, MI (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Muskegon, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs, with tuition ranging from $39,350 to $54,222 per year for indexed programs. Muskegon has a population of about 37,203. Median household income is $46,342 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 15.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning economics-related role is Economist at a median $106,350 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Economics Schools to Muskegon

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Muskegon, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Muskegon city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Muskegon. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 26.0 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 137

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Hope College

Holland, MI 31.4 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,427
Avg net price $27,182/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Aquinas College

Grand Rapids, MI 36.7 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
46.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,584
Avg net price $16,626/yr
Tuition
In‑state$40,218
Out‑of‑state$40,218
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, MI 37.5 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,314
Avg net price $20,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI 39.5 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,375
Avg net price $22,992/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,350
Out‑of‑state$39,350
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 50.2 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,735
Avg net price $8,624/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 126

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo, MI 72.8 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
67.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,590
Avg net price $19,072/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 73.0 miles from Muskegon
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan economics page.

Economics Wages Near Muskegon

Muskegon is part of the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area (BLS area code 34740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Economist$106,350MI statewide$114,973
Financial and Investment Analyst$86,110Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI$93,092
Statistician$102,710MI statewide$111,038
Management Analyst$88,610Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI$95,795

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Muskegon at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population37,203Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$46,342Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+15.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Muskegon-Area Cities With Economics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited economics schools are near Muskegon, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs near Muskegon. The closest is Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI (26.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Calvin University (39.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying economics roles near Muskegon?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Muskegon are: Economist ($106,350), Statistician ($102,710), Management Analyst ($88,610). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Norton Shores instead of Muskegon?

Norton Shores, MI is 4.6 miles from Muskegon and has its own set of local economics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Muskegon an affordable place to study economics?

Muskegon’s median household income of $46,342 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Muskegon while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Economics Programs

Other Programs Available in Muskegon

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Muskegon:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Economics Schools in Michigan: Online Programs (2026)