Cleary University is proud to announce that it captured the number one spot in Michigan for its return on investment (ROI) among private, nonprofit business schools for the bachelor’s in Business Administration, Management and Operations. Students who complete their bachelor’s degree in business from Cleary will earn an average of $1,124,708 more than their peers in the region who do not complete a Bachelor’s – almost $200,000 more than the school ranked second in the state.
According to data from The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP), Cleary also placed first in the state for earnings one year after graduation and 10 years after graduation.
“We attribute this number one position to many factors, particularly the alignment of our curriculum with the labor market,” reports Alan Drimmer, PhD, Cleary president. “Employers are seeking Cleary graduates because they are armed with The Cleary Mind™ attributes – critical and creative thinking, problem solving, effective communication, entrepreneurship, persuasion and ethical leadership. Our students are ready for the work world when they graduate from Cleary, and FREOOP has demonstrated this in its findings.”
In addition, “Cleary is extremely proud of its robust and highly experienced faculty who bring their real business world experiences into the classroom,” Dr. Drimmer continues. “Students are learning from experts in their field of study.”
Small class sizes and personalized attention add to Cleary’s historical successful outcomes.
The FREOOP report estimates ROI – how much college increases lifetime earnings (subtracting the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies and lost earnings while in school) – for 53,000 different degree and certificate programs. Bachelor degree programs have a median ROI of $160,000. FREOPP listed Cleary’s ROI as $1,124,708.
In addition, Cleary bachelor’s degree graduates earn on average more than $67,000 one year post-graduation. The annual salary of the school listed second was almost $10,000 less one year post-graduation. After 10 years, Cleary graduates earn an average of $94,000 a year, while students graduating from the school listed second earned $11,000 less annually.
This recently released data from FREOPP was updated from its previous research on ROI, using data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. The FREOPP report also points out that certain degree programs have a higher ROI because the school prepares students for jobs with high labor market demand. “This is why an education at Cleary is so valuable,” Dr. Drimmer points out. “We prepare our students for the current labor market needs.
Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce also ranked Cleary one of the best private, nonprofit universities in Michigan for ROI. According to Net Present Value (NPV) of all private, nonprofit schools in Michigan 10 years post graduation, Cleary was listed #3.
In addition, the Wall Street Journal ranked Cleary #5 in the country for its student debt ratio to starting salaries.
“Cleary often exceeds the pace of innovation among other business schools,” Dr. Drimmer finds.
“Cleary University’s focus is to provide extensive resources and an affordable, quality education for every single student,” he emphasizes.
To make this happen, Cleary offers a no cost or low cost tuition rate called the Cougar Country Promise for students living anywhere in Michigan.
Cleary also established an accelerated degree program for first responders including police, fire and EMS providers. “This has attracted hundreds of adult students who have found the program convenient, flexible, attainable and affordable,” Dr. Drimmer explains. Since the program’s inception, more than 600 Detroit Police officers and staff have earned their degrees from Cleary. This number does not include first responders and Michigan State Police officers from across the state who have completed their degrees from Cleary.
“High school students consistently report they are looking for a good job that will help them earn more money,” reports Jeremy Walker, senior vice president of Enrollment Management at Cleary. “An increasing number of these students are skeptical that college is the way to go, which has contributed to falling enrollments across the nation’s universities. At Cleary, we are very proud to say that last year’s class had the highest enrollment in decades!”
The Cleary Cougar incoming student enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year was 1,050 students, an increase of 17 percent from the previous year.
This year, Cleary took another step to improve the enrollment process for incoming students.
Cleary Direct Connect is a new program where qualified students are automatically admitted to the university through a streamlined admission process.
“Cleary is becoming known as one of the best business schools in the state and country, and we plan to keep the momentum going!” Dr. Drimmer announces.
To review the FREOPP rankings, visit: freopp.wpengine.com/roi-undergraduate/
To review the Georgetown University rankings, visit: cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/roi2022/
More Cleary University rankings
- Ranked #5 in the nation for best online business degree (University HQ)
- Ranked #3 in Michigan for best average starting salary two years post-graduation (US Department of Education)
- Ranked ninth best university in the US for its MBA online leadership degree program (OnlineMastersDegrees.org)
- Named “Best for Vets College in 2022” by Military Times
- Earned Gold Level Veteran-Friendly status from The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency two years in a row for continued excellence in serving military-connected students
About FREOOP
FREOOP is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization financed by tax-deductible contributions from individuals, foundations and enterprises. Its goal is to find innovative ways to improve Americans’ lives.
About Cleary University
Founded in 1883, Cleary University is a four-year, world-class accredited university, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees from a unique Business Arts curriculum, driven by a
faculty of thought leaders with deep, practical experience in their industries. Providing on-campus and online education models, Cleary provides a robust athletic program of 19 sports and a rich residence life with nearly 200 students living on the quiet, rolling 50-acre campus. Cleary graduates tend to land jobs faster than their peers and with higher earning salaries at the start of their careers.
Cleary University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, a proud member of the HLC Standard Pathway, and an approved institution by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. A nonprofit private university, Cleary’s campus is located at 3750 Cleary Drive, Howell, MI 48843, with an education center within the Durfee Innovation Society at 2470 Collingwood St., Detroit, MI 48206.
To learn more about Cleary University, visit its website: https://cleary.edu, or call Cleary at 1.800.686.1883.
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