Michigan ranked among top states to do business in
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
These Michigan universities have the state’s highest-ranked law schools, U.S. News says
The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranked in the top 10, tied for No. 8, among the best law schools in the U.S. Wayne State University was listed at No. 71, tied with several other universities and 16 points below its previous ranking.Stanford and Yale University were ranked No. 1 followed by the University of Chicago, University of Virginia and Harvard and Duke University tied for six place. New to this year’s law school rankings was measuring those with the highest portion of graduates getting jobs at “big law firms,” employing more than 500 attorneys and serving federal judicial clerkships.
One major Michigan higher education institution is in the top 10 of the highest-ranked law schools in the country, while another is in the top 100, according to the latest placements from U.S. News and World Report.
The rankings for 2025 were released Tuesday, April 8, and tied for No. 8 is the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Wayne State University was listed at No. 71.
U.S. News ranks professional schools and programs in business, education, law, engineering, medicine and nursing with “Best Graduate Schools” placements based on two types of data. Reputational and statistical data were collected from fall 2024 through early 2025.
Among the listed data in the law school rankings include tuition, enrollment and median scores for the LSAT, or Law School Admission Test.
UM’s listed tuition was $72,974 for in-state and $75-,974 for out-of-state students with an application fee of $75 and a student-to-faculty ratio of 6.6 to 1. Its acceptance rate was 11.9% and enrollment was 978.
Read more: New dean named for University of MIchigan Law School
Wayne State’s full-time, in-state tuition was $39,851 and $43,460 for out-of-state, and its student-faculty ratio at 5.9 to 1. Its acceptance rate was 29.3% with an enrollment of 389.
Stanford and Yale University were tied for No. 1 followed by the University of Chicago, University of Virginia, University of Pennsylvania (Carey), and Harvard and Duke University tied for six place.
UM was tied for No. 8 with New York University. According to the ranking, that’s an improvement by one number.
The Ann Arbor university pledged in November 2022 to not provide data to U.S. News and World Report but still appear in the top 10.
Wayne State University at No. 71 is tied with several other universities and 16 points below its previous ranking.
Michigan State university is tied for 115, or seven rankings below its previous number, followed by the University of Detroit Mercy at No. 136 and Cooley Law School, ranked between Nos. 178 and 195.
New to this year’s law school rankings was measuring those with the highest portion of graduates getting jobs at “big law firms,” employing more than 500 attorneys, schools with the highest rate of graduates serving federal judicial clerkships and those with the highest proportions of going into public interest jobs.
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Forbes 2025 America’s Best Credit Unions In Each State List
For many individuals and small businesses, it’s worth considering a credit union. Unlike banks, which are for-profit institutions owned by shareholders, credit unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives. The credit unions that are at the forefront of answering these questions have landed on our eighth annual list of the Best-In-State Credit Unions 2025. For more information, visit Forbes.com/ForbesBestBanks2525 and follow them on Twitter @ForbesBanks and @BanksForum. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org for details.
At credit unions, “you will typically find that fees are lower and interest rates are better, both on savings and loans, so that structure does lend itself to a stronger financial offering for members,” says Tansley Stearns, leader of Backbone , a first-of-its-kind coalition of credit unions. But beyond that, members have a stake and a say in how the credit union runs, she adds.
This community ownership “puts the members at the center of everything we do,” says Stearns, who is also president and CEO of Community Financial Credit Union in Michigan. “We are not thinking about quarter-to-quarter earnings pressures. We are thinking about our members and what their needs are, and in these unique times, how do we continue to iteratively solve new problems on their behalf?”
The credit unions that are at the forefront of answering these questions have landed on our eighth annual list of the Best-In-State Credit Unions 2025.
Best-In-State Banks 2025, Forbes partnered with market research firm To create this ranking along with thepartnered with market research firm Statista and surveyed approximately 26,000 U.S. residents. Respondents were asked how satisfied they were and how likely they were to recommend the U.S.-based banks and credit unions at which they have a checking or savings account, those at which they had an account within the last three years, and those they knew through friends and family. (Online-only banks and credit unions were excluded, as well as larger institutions with branches in 15 or more states.) Participants were also asked to rate their financial institutions on factors including trust, customer service, digital tools, the quality of financial advice given and whether fees were transparent and reasonable.
Additionally, Statista gathered more than 500,000 publicly available text reviews and ratings about each bank and credit union written between February 2022 and March 2025. This research was incorporated into the analysis, accounting for 20% of each financial institution’s score, while the surveys accounted for 80%. Ultimately, the institutions with the highest overall scores made our rankings—with 222 credit unions and 191 banks recognized in one or more states.
To see our full list of the Best-In-State Banks 2025, click here.
To see our full list of the Best-In-State Credit Unions 2025, scroll directly below.
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24 MI Companies Ranked Among Forbes’ Best Employers
Forbes and the research firm Statista surveyed 217,000 workers at companies with 1,000 or more employees. They were asked if they would recommend their employer to others and to rate it based on a range of criteria. The 1,199 organizations that made the final cut included 490 midsize companies and 701 large companies. For 10 years, Forbes’ best employers lists have tracked companies and organizations as they’ve navigated an era of lightning-speed technological innovation.
The rankings are based primarily on survey responses from more than 217,000 employees working at companies within the U.S. that employ more than 1,000 people. The list for midsize companies includes those with between 1,000 and 5,000 employees. Large companies are those with 5,000 or more workers.
Forbes’ said that for 10 years, its best employers lists have tracked companies and organizations as they’ve navigated an era of lightning-speed technological innovation, economic and geopolitical instability, a global pandemic that prompted drastic changes in how and where we do business, and cultural and generational shifts that have amalgamated the composition of the country’s adult workforce .
At the same time, Forbes said, research has shown employees have remained relatively steadfast when asked what they care about most in an employer: compensation, employee development and advancement opportunities, meaningful work, supportive colleagues, and workplace well-being and flexibility.
Most recently, a global survey of business leaders conducted in 2024 by AESC, a membership association for the industry of executive search and leadership consulting, found that the top factors that attract and retain leaders in the United States workforce are, once again, compensation packages and work-life balance.
Forbes and the research firm Statista surveyed 217,000 workers at companies with 1,000 or more employees. They were asked if they would recommend their employer to others and to rate it based on a range of criteria, including salary, work environment, training programs and opportunities to advance. Participants were also asked if they would recommend their previous employers, if within the past two years, and employers they knew through their industry experience or through friends or family who worked there.
The results were tallied and analyzed alongside data from the last three years, which Forbes said allowed for a robust assessment of organizations that consistently ranked well versus those that may have had just one good year. The more recent data and the evaluations from current employees were weighted more heavily than others.
The 1,199 organizations that made the final cut included 490 midsize companies and 701 large companies.
Michigan utilities rank among country’s worst for power reliability, report finds
By some metrics, their performance continues to put the state at the bottom of the barrel across the entire United States. Michigan utilities are responsible for more than half of all power outages in the state.
Just how bad are Michigan utilities at keeping the lights on for customers?
By some metrics, their performance continues to put the state at the bottom of the barrel across the entire United States.
National Business Capital Ranks Colorado, Utah, and Michigan as Top States for Startups in 2025
A new report from National Business Capital has identified Colorado, Utah, and Michigan as the top three states for starting a business in 2025. Colorado earned the top spot with a score of 71 out of 100, thanks to its balanced blend of growth opportunities, economic strength, and support for startups. The Mountain West and Southeast regions led in new business applications, with Wyoming, Delaware, Colorado, and Utah at the forefront. New England proved to be a challenging environment for startups due to high costs and limited support, with Massachusetts being the only state in the region to rank in the top 10.
Key Findings from the Report
Top States Excel in Growth and Support
Colorado earned the top spot with a score of 71 out of 100, thanks to its balanced blend of growth opportunities, economic strength, and support for startups.
Utah and Michigan tied for second place, scoring 68.1. Both states offer robust economic conditions and resources for new businesses.
Texas and Florida followed closely in fourth and fifth place, respectively, with low taxes attracting business owners, while California ranked sixth for its deep venture capital resources.
Challenges for Startups in Other Regions
New England proved to be a challenging environment for startups due to high costs and limited support, with Massachusetts being the only state in the region to rank in the top 10.
States like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York reported strong first-year survival rates, while Minnesota and Massachusetts excelled in five-year survival rates.
Some states, including Missouri, New Jersey, and Kentucky, saw significant drops in survival rates between the first and fifth years, with Missouri experiencing a sharp 30% decline.
Business Applications and Regional Trends
The Mountain West and Southeast regions led in new business applications, with Wyoming, Delaware, Colorado, and Utah at the forefront.
Conversely, New England and the northern heartland states lagged in new business applications.
Joe Camberato, CEO of National Business Capital, emphasized the importance of location in entrepreneurial success. “With a good business plan, hard work, and a little luck, you can succeed anywhere,” Camberato said. “If, for instance, my cousin wanted to open a business and she could move anywhere in the country, I would urge her to read this study carefully.”
Top 10 Best States to Start a Business in 2025
Colorado (Score: 71.0) Utah (Score: 68.1) – tie Michigan (Score: 68.1) – tie Texas (Score: 66.1) Florida (Score: 64.3) California (Score: 64.2) Minnesota (Score: 63.0) Indiana (Score: 62.7) Massachusetts (Score: 62.1) Ohio (Score: 61.6)
Bottom 10 Worst States to Start a Business in 2025
Source: https://www.manisteenews.com/news/article/michigan-cnbc-best-states-business-20765021.php