Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A local university has been ranked a top college in the U.S. for higher access and higher earnings.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in partnership with the American Council on Education or ACE have recognized Cleary University in Genoa Township as an Opportunity University for “higher access and higher post-graduation earnings”. It’s the top classification in the country.

Colleges and universities across the US are ranked based on their access for underrepresented students and their post-graduation earnings.

A release states a total of 3,927 colleges and universities in the U.S. were evaluated. Cleary was one of 479 institutions classified as an “Opportunity College or University for Higher Student Access and Higher Earnings” and one of only 13 in Michigan to receive this designation.

Douglas Stein, PhD, provost and executive vice president of Cleary, said “The Carnegie classification demonstrates our commitment to career-focused education, access for all students and success for our graduates. This classification once again exemplifies our value to students and graduates. Cleary continuously strives for institutional improvements to increase student access and provide an academic experience that produces career and financial success.”

The Student Access and Earnings Classification is based on the extent to which an institution is enrolling students who reflect the communities it serves and whether an institution’s graduates go on to earn competitive wages compared to peers in their area. It is a tool used to study how colleges foster student success. Institutions are evaluated in 31 categories including types of degrees offered, fields of study and school size.

More information is provided in the attached release.