Titan Success
University of Detroit Mercy boasts excellent outcomes for our graduates! UDM success is obvious in many ways, including these recent highlights.
Wall Street Journal 2025 rankings
The Wall Street Journal / College Pulse ranked Detroit Mercy among the TOP 50 best colleges in the nation and one of the top two universities in Michigan, based on student outcomes, learning environment and diversity.
Straight into higher-paying careers
Better salaries
The Detroit Mercy Class of 2023 grads reported an average starting salary of $60,000, which is higher than average for college graduates throughout the country.
The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 rankings
High-end career earnings
Career earnings for UDM graduates rank in the nation's top 10% – they can expect to earn up to $1.2 million more than their peers who don't attend college.
Success within six months
Nearly all UDM graduates are employed or pursuing further education within six months of graduation, according to NACE-based data.
Free tuition for eligible students
Learn about the Titan Edge program, which offers free tuition for eligible students.
Great things start before graduation
Success across the board
- Approximately 95% of all UDM bachelor’s degree graduates receive a career position or move on to graduate school within six months of graduation!
- Graduates of the College of Business Administration’s accelerated 5-year BS/MBA program achieved a 100% job placement rate within three months of graduation.
- 100% of all students who received their Nursing license are employed upon graduation.
- Among Detroit Mercy Law graduates from 2022, 90% obtained employment in legal and professional positions. Before graduating, all Law students gain hands-on legal experience and collectively provide 35,000+ hours of pro bono legal services per year to residents of the Detroit area.
- The total pass rate for UDM Nursing students who took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in 2022 is 100%.
- Business students again were winners in a worldwide investing competition. In December 2022, four students from the College of Business Administration placed among the world’s top 25 investors, competing with participants from hundreds of schools across 45 countries, in an international portfolio contest.
- Rich diversity of the Detroit Mercy community is something the University is proud of. The current student body is:
- White – 46%
- Communities of Color (African American, American Indian, Alaskan, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander) – 26%
- International – 22%
- (Chose not to report – 6%)
More top ratings
Top 200 Best Colleges
UDM ranks among the top national universities by U.S. News & World Report for the sixth year in a row, earning a No. 189 rank in the National Universities category of the publication’s Best Colleges 2025 edition.
A 'Best Value School'
Detroit Mercy continues to be ranked among the best schools in the country for value. U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best Colleges rankings puts UDM at No. 28 on its list of Best Value Schools (up from No.31 in the 2024 edition).
Top Catholic school
The Wall Street Journal ranks University of Detroit Mercy as:
- The No. 1 Catholic university in Michigan
- The No. 6 Catholic university in the Country
Our alumni are our greatest outcomes
Nancy Susick '86, chief operating officer, Corewell Health East
Aaron Huguley '08, '13, deputy chief, Southfield Police Dept.
Scott Douglas, '06, '14, transportation engineer, MDOT
Eric Piasecki '22, clinical nurse specialist, Penn Medicine
Notable alumni
Here's a tiny sample of UDM graduates and their stellar achievements. For many more, see the Wikipedia list.- Kevin Boyle '82, winner of 2004 National Book Award for Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age
- Pamela Carter '71, the nation's first elected Black female attorney general, in Indiana, from 1993 to 1997
- Maura D. Corrigan '73, former director, Michigan Department of Human Services; justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, 1998-2011 (served as chief justice, 2001-2004)
- Willie Green '03, head coach of New Orleans Pelicans, two-time NBA champion as assistant coach with Golden State Warriors, played 12 years in NBA
- Kyra Harris Bolden '14, justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, the first Black female and youngest person to serve on the Court
- Keegan-Michael Key '93, actor (Key & Peele, madTV, Animal Planet)
- Elmore Leonard '50, best-selling author, several of whose works have been made into movies, such as Get Shorty, Be Cool and The Big Bounce
- Marlena Peleo-Lazar '72, former chief creative officer and vice president for McDonald's Corporation.
More Titan success stories
Learn about our 2023 Alumni Achievement Awardees:
- Agnes Bongero '63
- William Bousquette '58, '62
- The Hon. Maura Corrigan '73
- Faye Nelson '75, '80
- Richard Nykiel D.D.S. '78
- Michael Okoroafor '82
- Suchitra Reddy '91
Check out more stories of successful alumni:
- in our alumni news
- on our Board of Trustees
- on the UDM Wikipedia page