Alma College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Best Online Education Programs in East Lansing, MI (2026)
East Lansing, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering education programs, with tuition ranging from $15,298 to $28,655 per year for indexed programs. East Lansing has a population of about 45,394. Median household income is $43,547 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 67.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, Postsecondary at a median $158,720 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Education Schools to East Lansing
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer education programs near East Lansing. Distances are calculated from East Lansing city center.
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 East Lansing. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Eastern Michigan University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Delta College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Western Michigan University
Published tuition$15,298 - $28,655
Online programsYes
Ferris State University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan education page.
Education Wages Near East Lansing
East Lansing is part of the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area (BLS area code 29620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $63,900 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $67,263 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $72,930 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $76,768 |
| Middle School Teacher | $62,520 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $65,811 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $86,290 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $90,832 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $104,020 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $109,495 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $158,720 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $167,074 |
| Tutor | $46,110 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $48,537 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $68,280 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $71,874 |
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.
East Lansing at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,394 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $43,547 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 67.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 95.0 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in Ingham County | 2,582 workers, 117 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other East Lansing-Area Cities With Education Programs
- Lansing, MI – 4.5 mi away (318,278 pop)
- Owosso, MI – 23.1 mi away (21,653 pop)
- Jackson, MI – 35.1 mi away (88,394 pop)
- Flint, MI – 44.3 mi away (338,616 pop)
- South Lyon, MI – 46.7 mi away (123,555 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited education schools are near East Lansing, MI?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering education programs near East Lansing. The closest is Alma College in Alma, MI (44.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ferris State University (81.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying education roles near East Lansing?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near East Lansing are: Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($158,720), Education Administrator, K-12 ($104,020), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($86,290). 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 Lansing instead of East Lansing?
Lansing, MI is 4.5 miles from East Lansing and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is East Lansing an affordable place to study education?
East Lansing’s median household income of $43,547 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in East Lansing 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 Education Programs
- Education accreditation: what to look for
- Education concentrations and specializations
- Is a Education degree worth it?
- Main Education degree guide
- Online Education programs in Michigan
- Education programs by state
Other Programs Available in East Lansing
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for East Lansing:
- Criminal Justice programs in East Lansing, MI
- Nursing programs in East Lansing, MI
- Business Administration programs in East Lansing, MI
- Computer Science programs in East Lansing, MI
- Psychology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Engineering programs in East Lansing, MI
- Technology programs in East Lansing, MI
- Liberal Arts programs in East Lansing, MI
- Healthcare programs in East Lansing, MI
- Cybersecurity programs in East Lansing, MI
- Accounting programs in East Lansing, MI
- Healthcare Administration programs in East Lansing, MI
- Social Work programs in East Lansing, MI
- Counseling programs in East Lansing, MI
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: June 11, 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.