Cleary might be located in Howell — but students attend from across the country

M. Alan Scott
·2 min read

HOWELL — Cleary University has been named the ninth best school in the country for its online master’s degree program.

The recognition comes from a national website that serves as a resource for students researching graduate school programs.

The site, onlinemastersdegrees.org, also ranked Cleary one of the best schools in the country for its master's human resources program (15th in the U.S.) and as the ninth best online degree program in Michigan.

Administrators believe the practical nature of the rankings is reflective in the school’s continued enrollment increase. Student enrollment for the 2023-24 school year was the largest since the school’s inception in 1883, with 1,050 graduate and undergraduate students, an increase of 17% from last year.

Cleary University has been named the ninth best school in the country for its online master’s degree program.
Cleary University has been named the ninth best school in the country for its online master’s degree program.

Cleary, a nonprofit, offers eight graduate programs with specialty degrees in public safety and strategic leadership, said Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies Regina Banks Hall. She estimates almost all of the university’s graduate students are working adults who prefer to take online classes. Yet, there's still a market for on-campus students. More than 340 students are taking at least one in-person class this year.

“We know that online courses offer more flexibility and our (student demographic) has grown because of it,” Banks Hall said. “We have students throughout the U.S. and (internationally) who will log on in the middle of the night or whenever is convenient for them.”

Cleary University, a nonprofit, offers eight graduate programs with specialty degrees in public safety and strategic leadership.
Cleary University, a nonprofit, offers eight graduate programs with specialty degrees in public safety and strategic leadership.

Banks Hall expects new graduate programs to be added in the coming years. She referenced cybersecurity, project management and sports promotion as examples the school is considering.

“We’re constantly looking down the road at what skills people will need to succeed in their job in the next five, 10 or 15 years and beyond,” Banks Hall said. “Having that mindset helps us to more effectively modernize our programs.”

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In developing its rankings, onlinemasterdegrees.org considers the value, flexibility and cost of accredited schools.

Other recent recognition for Cleary includes being named as one of the top schools in Michigan for best average starting salary two years after graduation by the U.S. Department of Education — and as a top college in the country for debt-to-income ratio by the Wall Street Journal.

Cleary’s campus in Howell houses many of its roughly 100 employees, including administrators and back-office personnel. The campus also includes classrooms for undergraduate and graduate needs, and conference and meeting rooms available for organizations in the area to rent.

“We want to take an active role in developing more partnerships and become an even more active member of the county,” Banks Hall said.

— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Cleary might be located in Howell — but students attend from across the country