Kettering University in Flint has earned a spot among Forbes’ top 15 U.S. colleges that best prepare students for early-career success. The private, STEM-oriented institution stands out as the sole Michigan college on Forbes’ December ranking, which highlighted its strong pathways to the workforce.
Forbes emphasized Kettering’s cooperative education programs, internships, and overall readiness for professional life as its signature strengths. A defining feature is that every student must complete a co-op, a requirement that sets the university apart from the national average. Nationwide data indicate only about 41 percent of undergraduates finish a co-op or internship before graduation; at Kettering, students consistently engage in these experiences as part of their degree progression.
During co-ops, students are paid for their work, gaining roughly 2.5 years’ worth of full-time experience and earning more than $55,000 prior to earning their degree. The program integrates work terms with academic terms, beginning as early as the first year and alternating between study and professional assignments throughout the curriculum.
In discussing the approach, Kettering President Robert K. McMahan told Forbes that the focus should be on outcomes several years after graduation rather than simply the college experience itself. He emphasized the long-term impact of a degree cultivated through practical, hands-on preparation.
Kettering University traces its origins to 1919 as the General Motors Institute. In fall 2024, the university enrolled approximately 1,212 undergraduate students. Alongside Kettering, Forbes’ list features notable institutions such as Arizona State University (Tempe), Babson College, Berea College, Carnegie Mellon University, Drexel University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Miami, the University of Washington, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and the College of William & Mary.
Dylan Goetz, a public safety reporter for MLive who covers crime, community, and education in the Flint area, contributed to this report. A 2020 graduate of Central Michigan University, Goetz hails from nearby Muskegon and remains connected to the region.
