Alpena Community College President Don MacMaster

ALPENA — For the fifth consecutive year, Alpena Community College documented the highest

graduation rate among Michigan’s 28 community colleges, based on January 2026 data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

IPEDS graduation rate is based on first-time, fulltime, degree and certificate students who complete their intended program of study within 150 percent of normal time — three semesters for certificate students and six semesters for associate degree students. ACC’s graduation rate was 52 percent. The second highest community college was 43 percent.

“I applaud ACC faculty, staff, and students for attaining this significant milestone,” said ACC President Don MacMaster. “It represents a group aligned around the primary focus of our work together — supporting student success. We hear frequently that ACC changes lives. This data confirms that ACC accomplishes that mission at a higher rate than any other community college in the state.”

IPEDS is a federal system of survey components that mandates data collection from all institutions of higher education across the United States that provide postsecondary education and are eligible to receive Title IV funding. Along with the 27 other community colleges in Michigan, ACC is required to submit institutional data that is aggregated and presented in the annual IPEDS institutional report that came out in January.

IPEDS allows each institution to propose a comparison group for benchmarking purposes. ACC’s comparison group is the Group one small rural Michigan community colleges: Bay College, Glen Oaks, Gogebic, Kirtland, Mid-Michigan, Montcalm, North Central, Southwestern and West Shore.

ACC’s IPEDS report highlights include:

Graduation rate: ACC 52%, Average of Comparison Cohort: 31%

Degrees conferred: ACC 235, Average of Comparison Cohort: 190.

Average amount of grant or scholarship aid: ACC $8,108, Average of Comparison Cohort: $7,313.

Tuition and fees: ACC $5,250, Average of Comparison Cohort: $5,190.

During the past five years, ACC’s IPEDS graduation rate has increased from 38 to 42 to 44 to 50 and now 52 percent.

“We feel good about this accomplishment,” MacMaster noted. “This trend shows we’re competing with ourselves to get better. When we do, students and the community benefit.”