Ferris State University
Ferris State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Ferris State University Featured Rankings
- #2 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Michigan
- #2 Best Online Associate Degree Programs in Michigan
- #5 Online Associate in Marketing
- #7 Michigan's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #10 Most Affordable Colleges in Michigan 2026
- #10 Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2026
- #11 Online Bachelor’s in Digital Media
- #11 Best Research Universities in Michigan 2026
- #11 Best Grad Schools in Michigan 2026
- #14 Online Bachelor’s in Health Science
- #16 Best Colleges in Michigan
About Ferris State University
According to Wikipedia, Ferris State University is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan. It was founded in 1884 as Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge N. Ferris and became a public institution in 1950. The university also has a satellite campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Ferris State University's Online Degrees
Undergraduate Certificate in Business To Business Marketing
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Human Resource Management
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business Management
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity-Ethical Hacking
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
- Format: Fully online
Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership And Supervision
- Format: Fully online
BS in Hvac/R Engineering Technology And Energy Management
- Format: Fully online
Ferris State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9,548 | 91% | 78% | 44% | 1005 | 22 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Ferris State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $15,736 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $8,356 |
| 30K - 48K | $4,796 |
| 48K - 75K | $4,055 |
| 75K - 110K | $9,313 |
| 110K+ | $19,650 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Ferris State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Ferris State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $60,457 a year, and 94% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Ferris State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 12,025 | 10,861 | 1,164 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Ferris State University?
Ferris State University is located at 1201 S State St, Big Rapids, MI 49307-2251.
How Safe is Ferris State University?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Ferris State University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Ferris State University has a violent crime rate of 0.13% and a property crime rate of 0.05%. Big Rapids has a violent crime rate of 0.39% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 1.47%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Ferris State University Known For?
Ferris State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Nursing
- Social Work
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Education
- Business
- Psychology
- Economics
- Political Science
- Sociology
- History
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Communications
- Chemistry
Ferris State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Ferris State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Ferris State University ranks #153 in the U.S. and #384 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesFerris State University ranks #205 in the U.S. and #482 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesFerris State University ranks #252 in the U.S. and #450 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesFerris State University ranks #287 in the U.S. and #1028 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesFerris State University ranks #382 in the U.S. and #1759 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesFerris State University ranks #386 in the U.S. and #2369 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesFerris State University ranks #438 in the U.S. and #1906 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesFerris State University ranks #486 in the U.S. and #1736 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesFerris State University ranks #604 in the U.S. and #1574 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesFerris State University ranks #607 in the U.S. and #3638 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesFerris State University ranks #634 in the U.S. and #2704 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesFerris State University ranks #635 in the U.S. and #2168 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesFerris State University ranks #637 in the U.S. and #1888 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesFerris State University ranks #709 in the U.S. and #2885 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesFerris State University ranks #758 in the U.S. and #3306 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesFerris State University ranks #781 in the U.S. and #2935 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesFerris State University ranks #787 in the U.S. and #3498 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWho Are Ferris State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Ferris State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Nursing, Criminal Justice, and Social Work. Here are some of Ferris State University's most famous alumni:
