Public · University

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan · Remote town

#2 best value in Michigan
91.4%
Admit rate
$8,624
Avg net price
47%
Graduation rate
$54,735
Median earnings

Ferris State University is a public bachelor's-granting institution in Big Rapids, Michigan (remote town setting), enrolling 8,106 undergraduates.

PublicMidsize · 8,106 undergradsRemote townAccessible · 91% admitOther · Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceCold wintersSnowy

Will you get in?

See where your numbers land against Ferris State University's admitted students.

Admit rate
91.4%
SAT (mid 50%)
890–1120
Avg GPA (est.)
2.92

Enter a test score to see where you land against Ferris State University's admitted students.

A guide, not a prediction. It compares your numbers with the middle 50% of admitted students and Ferris State University's overall admit rate — it can't see essays, recommendations, activities, or your intended major, which all move real decisions.

About Big Rapids, Michigan

Big Rapids is a city and the seat of government of Mecosta County, Michigan, United States. Big Rapids was settled in 1855 by brothers George and Zera French. As the village of Leonard, at the intersection of Elm and Stewart streets, it became the seat of Mecosta County on February 11, 1859, but local lumbermen knew the site as Big Rapids. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Remote town
Highest degree offered
Graduate
To Great Lakes shore
48 miles
Nearest airport
52 miles to Muskegon County (MKG)

How Ferris State University compares

View 74 more ranking appearances
#29 · Colleges with the Lowest Application Fees #76 · Public Universities with the Lowest Out-of-State Tuition #57 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $30,000–$48,000 #67 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $48,000–$75,000 #81 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $75,000–$110,000 #43 · Public Universities with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price #22 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in Michigan #2 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in Michigan #34 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in Michigan #7 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in Michigan #25 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in Michigan #8 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Midwest #73 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Midwest #8 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Midwest #51 · Best Public Universities in the Midwest #99 · Best Colleges in the Great Lakes Region #7 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Great Lakes Region #91 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Great Lakes Region #36 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Great Lakes Region #7 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Great Lakes Region #30 · Best Public Universities in the Great Lakes Region #6 · Associate Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #86 · Associate Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #11 · Certificate Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #4 · Certificate Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #72 · Certificate Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #16 · Certificate Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #82 · Bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #17 · Associate Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #13 · Associate Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #64 · Bachelor's Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #79 · Bachelor's Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #87 · Bachelor's Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #1 · Certificate Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #3 · Certificate Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #81 · Certificate Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #27 · Associate Health and Medical Administrative Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #9 · Associate Health and Medical Administrative Services Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #55 · Associate Health and Medical Administrative Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #3 · Certificate Health and Medical Administrative Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #2 · Associate Precision Metal Working Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #1 · Associate Precision Metal Working Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #25 · Associate Precision Metal Working Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #14 · Associate Precision Metal Working Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #1 · Certificate Precision Metal Working Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #1 · Certificate Precision Metal Working Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #52 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #89 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #1 · Certificate Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #1 · Certificate Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #34 · Certificate Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #7 · Associate Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #74 · Bachelor's Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #27 · Bachelor's Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #51 · Bachelor's Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #28 · Bachelor's Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #1 · Associate Biological and Physical Sciences Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #48 · Associate Biological and Physical Sciences Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #23 · Associate Biological and Physical Sciences Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #42 · Bachelor's Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #9 · Bachelor's Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #5 · Bachelor's Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #20 · Associate Social Work Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #35 · Associate Culinary Arts and Related Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #52 · Associate Culinary Arts and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #44 · Bachelor's Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #42 · Bachelor's Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #60 · Bachelor's Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #45 · Bachelor's Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #45 · Bachelor's Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #80 · Bachelor's Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #93 · Bachelor's Human Resources Management and Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #90 · Bachelor's Human Resources Management and Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt
Selectivity91.4%

More selective than 21% · #37 most selective of 43 in Michigan

SAT average1012

Higher than 9%

Graduation rate47%

Higher than 33% · #35 of 44 in Michigan

First-year retention78%

Higher than 54%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$54,735

Higher than 52% · #24 of 45 in Michigan

Average net price$8,624

Cheaper than 94% · #2 cheapest of 44 in Michigan

Median debt at graduation$21,000

Lower than 67%

Student–faculty ratio15 : 1

Lower than 35%

Undergraduate enrollment8,106

Larger than 86%

Percentiles compare Ferris State University with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in Michigan.

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

9,074students
  • Undergraduate8,10689%
  • Graduate96811%

Undergraduates by gender

8,106undergrads
  • Women4,46855%
  • Men3,63845%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White73%
  • Black10%
  • Hispanic7.1%
  • Asian1.7%
  • Other or multiracial8.1%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
8,106
Graduate enrollment
968
Student–faculty ratio
15 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
34%
First-generation students
35%
Students over 25
15%
Median family income
$41,668
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$96,768
Endowment
$127,498,531

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 1,616 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From Michigan94%
  • Other U.S. states5.5%
  • International0.9%

Most first-years stay in state — Ferris State University draws overwhelmingly from Michigan.

1% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
91.4%
Test scores
Considered but not required
SAT range (25th–75th %)
890–1120
SAT average
1012
SAT reading
460–570
SAT math
430–550
ACT composite
20–24
Average GPA (estimated)
2.92

Cost

In-state tuition
$14,778
Room & board
$11,462
Books & supplies
$890
Total cost of attendance
$27,048
Average net price
$8,624

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
47%
Graduated on time (4 years)
33%
First-year retention
78%
Transferred to another college
8%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$47,339
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$54,735
Median debt at graduation
$21,000
Students with federal loans
43%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
53%

About 14% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
33%
Low-income (Pell)
46%
First-generation
47%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
3,230
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
40%
Housing charge (year)
$5,652
Meal plan (year)
$5,008
Application fee
Free
Athletics
Other
Football conference
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Varsity athletes
547 (336 men · 211 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (9)

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)226
Football143
Basketball32
Soccer32
Ice Hockey30
Golf22
Softball22
Tennis20
Volleyball20

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
C
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
2.4 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
56
Property offenses (2022–2024)
17

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 5 campuses (9,959 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

24reported offenses a year
19 violent a year5.7 property a year

By offense type, per year

Rape
10
Fondling
7.3
Burglary
4.0
Motor vehicle theft
1.3
Aggravated assault
1.0
Arson
0.3

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$2,556
$30–48k
$4,315
$48–75k
$7,638
$75–110k
$12,485
$110k+
$18,603

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$33,903

$7,638/year × about 4.4 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

88%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$6,970
average award, among those who get one

Modest institutional aid: 88% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $6,970. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 1,706 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$54,735
Typical debt at graduation
$21,000
Debt vs. one year's pay
38%
Out-earn a HS grad
66%

Typical debt would take roughly 3.8 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Solid value

A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$48,206
Men
$63,344

Men out-earn women by $15,138 (31%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
81°F
Winter low
12°F
Annual rain
37.9″
Annual snow
61.3″

Average temperature

HighLow
0°50°90°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.14.2JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Big Rapids Wtp, MI US station (1.3 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to Ferris State University

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Ferris State University side by side →

Colleges near Ferris State University

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.