Michigan's independent colleges & universities enroll a growing number of Pell Grant recipients
Pell Grants are federal need-based student grants that help students with financial need pay for college. The share of students with Pell Grants is typically an indicator of how accessible an institution is for students from a diverse array of family income situations.
As the economic landscape of Michigan has shifted, a greater number of students are in-need of aid. Independent colleges and universities have responded to student needs and are accessible to students of all income levels.
In Michigan, independent, nonprofit colleges and universities have consistently enrolled a greater share of Pell Grant recipients than the state's public universities.
Since 2008 the share of Pell Grant recipients at independent institutions has grown from 32 percent of the undergraduate student body to 45 percent. This is compared to Michigan's public universities where the share has grown from 24 percent to 32 percent.