Best Physics Schools Near Traverse City, MI (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Traverse City, Michigan has 1 accredited school offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $14,760 to $30,681 per year for indexed programs. Traverse City has a population of about 15,491. Median household income is $71,731 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning physics-related role is Engineers, All Other at a median $121,000 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Traverse City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Traverse City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Traverse City 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 Traverse City. 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

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 90.2 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Alma College

Alma, MI 105.6 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
51.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,742
Avg net price $20,694/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Alpena Community College

Alpena, MI 108.0 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,442
Avg net price $3,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,250
Out‑of‑state$8,010
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, MI 118.2 miles from Traverse City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,955
Avg net price $10,775/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 124.6 miles from Traverse City
  • 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

#6

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI 126.1 miles from Traverse City
  • 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

Hope College

Holland, MI 138.2 miles from Traverse City
  • 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

#8

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 150.6 miles from Traverse City
  • 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
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

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 Traverse City

Traverse City is part of the Traverse City, MI metro area (BLS area code 45900). 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 $101,199
Biochemists and Biophysicists $109,340 MI statewide $117,066
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $109,090 MI statewide $116,799
Mathematicians $65,510 MI statewide $70,139
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $103,210 MI statewide $110,503
Engineers, All Other $121,000 MI statewide $129,550
Software Developers $95,860 Traverse City, MI $102,634
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $66,200 Traverse City, MI $70,878

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.

Traverse City at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 15,491 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $71,731 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 47.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Traverse City-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Traverse City, MI?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering physics programs near Traverse City. The closest is Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI (90.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Central Michigan University (90.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Traverse City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Traverse City are: Engineers, All Other ($121,000), Biochemists and Biophysicists ($109,340), Physics Teachers, Postsecondary ($109,090). 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 Mount Pleasant instead of Traverse City?

Mount Pleasant, MI is 89.9 miles from Traverse City 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 Traverse City an affordable place to study physics?

Traverse City’s median household income of $71,731 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Traverse City 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 Traverse City

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

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.

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