2026 Best Value Athletic Training Schools in Michigan
[Athletic Training](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/athletic-training/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong athletic training education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for athletic training students.
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2026 Best Value Athletic Training Schools in Michigan
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the athletic training degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Athletic Training Schools
Wayne State University earned the #1 spot for value among athletic training schools in Michigan. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,159, while out-of-state students pay about $34,650. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $87,447. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Central Michigan University earned it the #2 place for athletic training. Central Michigan University is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the athletic training program here. Athletic Training graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $69,332 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Grand Valley State University earned it the #3 place for athletic training. Grand Valley State University is a very large public school located in the town of Allendale. In-state tuition and fees average $15,502, while out-of-state students pay about $21,894. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, athletic training degree recipients from Grand Valley State University generally make around $85,201. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in athletic training will find it at Eastern Michigan University, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,990. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $28,781 in student loans. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $104,313. Set against $28,781 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
A rank of #5 makes Northern Michigan University one of the best values for athletic training. Located in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $14,322 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,944. Typical student debt for athletic training graduates is $18,500. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $50,855. Set against $18,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Western Michigan University placed #6 among the best values for athletic training. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. In-state tuition and fees average $15,987, while out-of-state students pay about $19,952. Students borrow a median of $27,981 to complete the athletic training program here. Soon after graduation, athletic training degree recipients from Western Michigan University generally make around $48,966. That is a strong return on a $27,981 median debt. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Michigan State University earned the #7 position for value in athletic training this year. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,422 to complete the athletic training program here. Athletic Training graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $54,166 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
Concordia University Ann Arbor landed the #8 spot for athletic training value this year. Concordia University Ann Arbor is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Students from in state pay about $35,410 in tuition and fees. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $26,497 in student loans. Athletic Training graduates of Concordia University Ann Arbor earn a median of $88,329 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
More Athletic Training Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
