Fast Facts

Founded

Founded in 1844

In 1844, The University of Olivet became the first college in Michigan to admit women and persons of color on a co‐equal basis with white men.

The first graduating class in 1863 consisted of three women: Sophia Keyes, Mary Barber and Sara Benedict.

Hiram Archer, who attended the college from 1889‐1905 and played varsity baseball, was one of the first African‐American intercollegiate athletes in the nation.

30 Miles South of Lansing, Michigan

Traditions

School Colors: Red and white

Nickname: Comets

Mascots: Clyde and Haley

A founding member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA)

Students

100% of students receive aid

58% Male

42% Female

26% Underrepresented Minorities

93% Michigan Residents

80% Students Live on Campus

Academics

27 Majors

28 Minors

17:1 Student to Faculty Ratio

15 Average Class Size

100% of students participate in service learning

Top 6 Majors

1. Business Administration
2. Exercise Science
3. Criminal Justice
4. Sport & Recreation Management
5. Insurance & Risk Management
6. Biology

Rankings

Military Friendly

• Top 10 Gold-Level Military Friendly® School (Viqtory Media, 2022-23)
• Gold-level Veteran-Friendly School (Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 2022-23)

U.S. News and World Report Best College Rankings (2024)

• #40 Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest
• #8 Top Performer on Social Mobility in the Midwest

LendEDU’s annual Student Loan Debt by School by State (2020)

• 4th Lowest Average Student Debt

Best’s Review (2022)

• #3 Insurance and Risk Management Program Nationwide

Washington Monthly (2023)

• #6 in Nation – Promoting Public Service

National Survey of Student Engagement (2022)

• Top 10% among other Great Lakes private colleges* for first-year engagement:
  • Collaborative Learning
  • Student-Faculty Interaction
  • Higher-Order Learning

*2022 Engagement Indicators, Comparison with High-Performing Institutions, National Survey of Student Engagement

• High-Impact Practices* for Olivet seniors compared to other Great Lakes Private Colleges:
  • 32% higher (100%) in Service-Learning
  • 26% higher (57%) in Research with Faculty
  • 20% higher 86%) in Culminating Senior Experience

*2022 High Impact Practices, Participation Comparisons, National Survey of Student Engagement

Affiliations

Accreditations

• The University of Olivet holds multiple accreditations from higher education agencies. Visit our Accreditations page for a complete list of accreditations.

Affiliations

• United Church of Christ
• National Association of Congregational Christian Churches