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University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ranked
Ann Arbor, United States
=22nd in World University Rankings 2025
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About

Basic information and contact details for the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

institution

A public university founded in 1817, the University of Michigan had a rustic beginning. At its campus in Ann Arbor, west of Detroit, cows owned by the faculty once grazed, and as late as 1845, wheat was grown on site as part of a janitor’s remuneration.

By 1866, the university had become the largest in the country. Now, the University of Michigan is one of the biggest research universities in the United States. It boasts alumni including Gerald Ford, former US president; Larry Page, co-founder of Google; and actor James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader. 

The university’s sporting tradition began in 1865, and its sports teams, collectively known as the Michigan Wolverines, have won more than 50 national championships in 12 sports. Why the wolverine became the university’s mascot is a mystery, as although the nickname caught on in the middle of the 19th century, the first verified sighting of the animal in Michigan state did not occur until 2004.

Michigan’s mission is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through “preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future”. It offers 250 undergraduate majors, 100 doctoral and 200 master’s programmes, as well as more than 1,400 student clubs.

The university has no shortage of bizarre traditions. On campus sits “The Cube”, a huge black object so finely balanced on one corner that students can spin it around despite its great weight. One myth is that the president gives it a push each morning in order to keep the campus running smoothly.

When students first arrive at Michigan they walk through a campus fountain to make them an “official wolverine”. After graduation, they walk the other way through the water, signifying their departure to join the professional world. And don’t step on the brass “M” at the centre of the campus, or exam failure awaits.

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Key Student Statistics

A breakdown of student statistics at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

gender ratio
Student gender ratio
52 F : 48 M (1)
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International student percentage
18% (1)
student per staff
Students per staff
8.5 (1)
student
Student total
47787 (1)

Based on data collected for the (1) World University Rankings 2025

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Subjects Taught at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

See below for a range of subjects taught at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Life Sciences29th

  • Agriculture and Forestry
  • Sport Science
  • Biological Sciences

Law26th

  • Law

Education8th

  • Education

Arts and Humanities18th

  • Languages, Literature and Linguistics
  • History, Philosophy and Theology
  • Archaeology
  • Art, Performing Art and Design
  • Architecture

Business and Economics21st

  • Economics and Econometrics
  • Business and Management
  • Accounting and Finance

Clinical and Health21st

  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Other Health

Computer Science41st

  • Computer Science

Engineering19th

  • General Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Social Sciences9th

  • Sociology
  • Politics and International Studies
  • Communication and Media Studies

Psychology11th

  • Psychology

Physical Sciences23rd

  • Chemistry
  • Geology, Environmental, Earth and Marine Sciences
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Mathematics and Statistics