Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI 49307-2251
About Ferris State University
Ferris State University is a public research university in Big Rapids, Michigan, serving roughly 8,106 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 91.39% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $54,735 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Ferris State University charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition ($14,778).
- Versus the Michigan median, sticker tuition is 3% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 46.87%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $54,735.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Ferris State University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1487% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Ferris State University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 127 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferris State University | $14,778 | $8,624 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Michigan (state median) | $15,221 | $7,368 | 96 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 42% below published tuition at Ferris State University
Key findings
- Ferris State University's average net price ($8,624) is 42% below published tuition ($14,778).
- Ferris State University charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition ($14,778).
- Versus the Michigan median, sticker tuition is 3% below.
Ferris State University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $14,778
Finding Ferris State University charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $14,778. That is about 2.7× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Michigan median ($15,221), sticker tuition is 3% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 24% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Ferris State University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Ferris State University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Ferris State University is $8,624.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $8,624 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,256 above the Michigan median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $6,347 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Ferris State University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 42% lower after grants and scholarships.
Ferris State University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Ferris State University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$14,778
Avg. net price
$8,624
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $2,556 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $4,315 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $7,638 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $12,485 |
| $110,001+ | $18,603 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $59,112. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Ferris State University is known for
Top program completions
- Criminal Justice/Police Science207
- Business Administration and Management, General206
- Social Work107
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse93
- General Studies90
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 21% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1012
- Midpoint ACT: 23
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Ferris State University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Ferris State University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Ferris State University.
Campus
Location
Big Rapids, MI
City / state
- ZIP
- 49307-2251
- NCES locale
- Town remote
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.6× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Doctoral/Professional Universities
Size
Enrollment
8,106
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 10,932
- Graduate
- 968
- Full-time share
- 81%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$21,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 34.23%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Ferris State University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Ferris State University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Ferris State University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $10,466 | $16,722 | $14,010 |
| 2014 | $10,677 | $16,467 | $13,230 |
| 2015 | $10,970 | $17,562 | $13,306 |
| 2016 | $11,290 | $18,048 | $13,136 |
| 2017 | $11,628 | $18,588 | $12,949 |
| 2018 | $11,788 | $11,788 | $13,008 |
| 2019 | $12,068 | $12,068 | $12,889 |
| 2020 | $12,376 | $12,376 | $12,213 |
| 2021 | $12,740 | $12,740 | $13,010 |
| 2022 | $13,076 | $13,076 | $12,812 |
| 2023 | $13,630 | $13,630 | $12,202 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1012 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 23 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Ferris State University reported total enrollment of about 8,106 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 46% male and 54% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (72.7%), Black or African American (10.4%), and Hispanic or Latino (7.1%). About 34.23% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 35.3% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
80.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Ferris State University in 2024 is 8,106 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 10,932 students. Graduate enrollment is about 968 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
77.6%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
33.16% 100% Completion Time
46.87% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 33.16% of students graduating from Ferris State University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Criminal Justice/Police Science: 42% male / 58% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 56% male / 44% female
- Social Work: 8% male / 92% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Ferris State University graduates earn a median of $54,735 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Ferris State University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,735. Median federal loan debt: $21,000. Average net price used in cost models: $8,624.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Ferris State University graduates report median earnings of $54,735 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Ferris State University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (127 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Ferris State University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Ferris State University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Ferris State University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$119.7M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Michigan median 3.9× the median ($30.9M)
- Great Lakes median 3.8× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 4.5× the median ($26.4M)
- Michigan median 1.1× the median ($13,320)
- Great Lakes median 0.86× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 71.0%
- Michigan median 6.9 pp above median (64.1%)
- Great Lakes median 12.9 pp above median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 13.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $10,752
- Michigan median 1.2× the median ($8,917)
- Great Lakes median 1.3× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,659
- Michigan median 1.3× the median ($7,240)
- Great Lakes median 1.3× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Ferris State University at a glance
Ferris State University
Ferris State University is a public institution in Big Rapids, MI, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Criminal Justice/Police ScienceBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralSocial Work
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian72.7%Black or African American10.4%Hispanic or Latino7.1%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Ferris State University
Other campuses in Big Rapids, MI when available, plus nearby institutions in Michigan.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Michigan, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ferris State University located?
Ferris State University is located in Big Rapids, MI.
What is Ferris State University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Ferris State University is 91.4% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 9,548 applicants and 7,694 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Ferris State University's tuition?
Ferris State University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $14,778 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $8,624 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Ferris State University cost?
Reported tuition is $14,778 and average net price is $8,624 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,462 annually.
Why is Ferris State University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Ferris State University, published tuition is $14,778 while average net price is $8,624—about 42% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Ferris State University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($8,624), completion (46.9% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($54,735). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Ferris State University?
Ferris State University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 10,932 students, White (72.7%), Black or African American (10.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Ferris State University?
About 35.3% of students at Ferris State University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Ferris State University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Ferris State University reports midpoint SAT about 1012 and midpoint ACT about 23.
What do graduates of Ferris State University earn?
Median earnings are $47,339 six years after entry and $54,735 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Ferris State University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 46.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Ferris State University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,000.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.