Best Physics Schools Near Battle Creek, MI (2026)

Battle Creek, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs. Battle Creek has a population of about 52,392. Median household income is $51,699 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Battle Creek, MI metro area, the top-earning physics-related role is Software Developers at a median $126,050 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Physics Schools to Battle Creek

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Battle Creek, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Battle Creek 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 Battle Creek. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo, MI 19.0 miles from Battle Creek
  • 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

#2

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 19.7 miles from Battle Creek
  • 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

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#3

Albion College

Albion, MI 25.0 miles from Battle Creek
  • 4 year
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,799
Avg net price $14,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 35.0 miles from Battle Creek
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,732
Avg net price $19,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#6

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI 47.3 miles from Battle Creek
  • 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

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#7

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 48.7 miles from Battle Creek
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Hope College

Holland, MI 55.8 miles from Battle Creek
  • 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

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


Physics Wages Near Battle Creek

Battle Creek is part of the Battle Creek, MI metro area (BLS area code 12980). 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)
Physicists $94,520 MI statewide $104,442
Biochemists and Biophysicists $109,340 MI statewide $120,818
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $109,090 MI statewide $120,541
Mathematicians $65,510 MI statewide $72,387
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $103,210 MI statewide $114,044
Engineers, All Other $112,260 Battle Creek, MI $124,044
Software Developers $126,050 Battle Creek, MI $139,282
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,640 Battle Creek, MI $70,320

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.


Battle Creek at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 52,392 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,699 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Battle Creek-Area Cities With Physics Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Battle Creek, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Battle Creek. The closest is Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI (19.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hillsdale College (39.6 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Battle Creek?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Battle Creek are: Software Developers ($126,050), Engineers, All Other ($112,260), Biochemists and Biophysicists ($109,340). 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 Kalamazoo instead of Battle Creek?

Kalamazoo, MI is 18.4 miles from Battle Creek and has its own set of local physics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Battle Creek an affordable place to study physics?

Battle Creek’s median household income of $51,699 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Battle Creek 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 Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Battle Creek

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.