College rates down in Michigan, even with cheap tuition. Can billboards help?

Leaders are working to convince Michiganders of the value of a postsecondary education
The state has invested millions in tuition assistance for young people and adults, but enrollment has not changed significantly since then
A massive messaging campaign has begun as part of the first step in changing attitudes, which many say is necessary for the state to prosper

Along M-36 in Whitmore Lake, commuters now can see a new billboard: “In Italy, there’s a museum of spaghetti and in Michigan, two years of college is free.”

The billboard is one of many that have popped up across the state, along with ads on television and social media, as part of a $5 million campaign that aims to change attitudes about the value of college.

The campaign, funded by foundations and taxpayers, intends to raise awareness of three state-funded college scholarships for adults and traditional students to earn a certificate, associate degree or bachelor degree.

It’s the first step of work to change Michigan’s college-going culture and similar to one decades ago to normalize the idea that everyone needs a high school diploma, said Doug Ross, co-manager of Level Up Michigan! The bipartisan group of business, labor and education leaders is working to increase the education and skill level of residents.

“It took us most of the 20th century to establish the conventional wisdom that people ought to get a high school degree,” said Ross. “The new conventional wisdom we need: Young people today require education and skill beyond high school to build a family-supporting career.”

A record-low 31% of Americans consider a college education “very important,” down from 70% in 2013, according to an October poll by Gallup.

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Confidence in higher education has cratered, said Zach Hrynowski, senior education researcher at Gallup. Other polls show Americans still value higher education and the financial security it brings, along with other benefits such as mental and physical well-being and the likelihood of being employed in a job where the individual finds purpose, Hrynowski said.

“You can have confidence and trust and value in a product and not be confident in the seller of it very much,” said Hrynowski.

Polls show confidence in higher education has dropped because of cost, campus climate limiting the expression of speech and questions about whether what’s being taught is relevant to the workplace, Hrynowski said.

The average published price of Michigan’s 15 public universities cost $17,105, in 2025-26, nearly double the inflation-adjusted average in 2001-02, though most students pay far less because of financial aid.

The return on college investment “far exceeds the costs,” even with earnings adjusted for student loan debt, according to research by the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization. Those armed with a degree on average earn $8,000 more annually than individuals without a credential, even after accounting for student debt.

Michigan has invested more than $1 billion in three major scholarships since 2023 to help traditional students and adults earn a certificate, associate degree or bachelor degree as part of its goal to arm 60% of residents with a postsecondary credential by 2030.

Despite the investment, the percentage of adults with postsecondary degrees or certificates has only increased to 51.6% of adults from 49.1% in 2019 when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took office.

During that time, enrollment at Michigan’s public universities and community colleges has declined 12% to 555,000 in 2025, according to the Michigan Association of State Universities.

Part of the problem, college boosters think, is that polling shows 70% of residents are unaware of the scholarships.

“Michigan’s policy work is done, in large part,” said Sandy Baruah, CEO and president of Detroit Regional Chamber, which is a partnerof Level Up Michigan!. “We’ve made (community college) tuition free for everybody. Yet we are not seeing cultural success. Now, we need to have cultural attitudes change.”

A screengrab of a video shows a man eating fried chicken with a fork while handcuffed — Did you know? Getting people’s attention about fried chicken in Georgia is part of a campaign to tell them about two years of free college in Michigan. (Courtesy of Perich Advertising + Design )

An August poll by the Glengariff Group asked Michigan adults whether education beyond high school is required to prepare a young person for a career. Nearly 50% either said no, they’re not sure or it depends.

That is a problem because there is “an anti-college myth in the ethos right now,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, president of the Michigan College Access Network, another Level Up Michigan! partner. Attempts to counter that messaging to individuals have included messaging around the fact that college degrees lead to increased earning potential, but that doesn’t seem to be resonating, he added.

“We are trying to find the right messaging to help people get out of this anti-college funk,” said Fewins-Bliss.

The public’s attitude also does not line up with industry needs, where research by TalentFirst, a coalition of business leaders in west Michigan, shows that 70% of jobs require a postsecondary credential.

“The level of knowledge and skill that employers are needing is continually being raised as technology, automation and business processes increased the need for a more educated and skilled workforce,” said Kevin Stotts, president of TalentFirst, another Level Up Michigan! partner. “So we have to have the culture.”

Level Up Michigan!’s awareness campaign began in September and will last through January 2028. The ads hope to increase awareness of the scholarships from 3 in 10 Michigan residents to 8 in 10, said Craig Dunaway, director of client services for Perich Advertising + Design in Ann Arbor, which is handling the campaign. The ads also include a link to a webpage, 2yearsfree.com, which exposes viewers to the two-year scholarships, connects them to a local community college and more.

A second phase of the campaign planned to launch next year will target graduating high school students with information and testimonials to increase the postsecondary enrollment rate. The goal is 70% for the class of 2029, which would be an increase from about 50%.

“They can’t take advantage of it if they don’t know it exists,” Dunaway said. “These are programs that can change people’s lives. We want them to be aware of them.”

Level Up Michigan! is working to raise the largest amount of funding, $4.2 million, with support so far from several foundations including the Kresge Foundation, Skillman Foundation, Frey Foundation, Mott Foundation,Steelcase Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, Michigan Community College Association and more.

It also has benefitted from$250,000 in state funds awarded to the Diploma Equity Project, the fiscal agent for Level Up Michigan!, from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential to expand the state’s outreach on higher education opportunities and its value.

The state agency also awarded $250,000 each to the Michigan College Access Network and Michigan Adult, Community and Alternative Education Association to raise awareness.

“These partnerships will help more learners pursue their goals, strengthen families and build the skilled workforce Michigan needs to thrive,” said Beverly Walker-Griffea, executive director of the state Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential.

The campaigns come as Michigan’s per capita income has plummeted nationally from 19th in 2000 to 39th in 2025, median family income has fallen from 106% of the national average in 2000 to 91% today and the state ranks 39th in the nation for the percentage of residents with a postsecondary credential.

Michigan residents need to see that getting an education beyond high school is normal and necessary and the state helps with costs, Ross said.

“If we don’t change that,” Ross said, “Michigan will continue to fall behind the nation economically on all the important economic measures.”

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