FLINT, Michigan—According to a Georgetown University study, Kettering University has the highest return on investment (ROI) of any higher education institution in Michigan.
Out of 4,500 institutions ranked by the study, Kettering is 32nd in the nation above some well-known Ivy League institutions, underscoring the university’s centennial celebrations and cutting-edge programs.
As tuition rates continue to climb around the country, the value of a college degree has begun to fall under greater scrutiny than ever before. Students are investing potential decades of debt into their post-secondary education. Now, there is proof for Kettering students like Charles Harr that an in-state investment is well worth it in the end.
“I feel really good knowing now we’re back on top and that my future is gonna be pretty secure and that coming out of college I’ll have a decent job. Especially after working two and a half years through co-ops,” said Harr.
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According to Kettering's website, the average Kettering student will have earned about $40,000 to $65,000 before they even graduate.
Kettering’s president Robert McMahan attributes this largely to the university’s co-op program that requires students to rotate between terms of traditional academic education and co-op positions directly related to their field of study. With two and a half years of work experience, student employability immediately after graduation is increased.
“You look around at the business and the industries all around, not just southeast Michigan but all across the country and you find Kettering grads in the leadership of those institutions,” said McMahan. “Everything from Wall Street companies like Merrill Lynch…Gibson guitars, FedEx.”
As a result, there’s a prevalence of Kettering students in executive positions throughout some of the country’s largest companies, said McMahan. In this way, a Kettering education is an investment that could pay off well past graduation into a lifetime.
McMahan also mentioned Kettering’s close ties to Flint, and the pride the university takes in being part of the community.
“We were born here. We were born here at the same time as the automotive industry was born here,” said McMahan. “So we’re proud of that history and we’re very proud to be members of the Flint community and we think we have a very strong role to play in the Flint community going forward.”
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