Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI · Public

Official website

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Admission rate

Ferris State University admitted 91.4% of applicants university-wide (11,387 of 12,460).

CohortAdmit rateAdmittedApplicants
University-wide91.4%11,38712,460
In-state91.4%10,09511,045
Out-of-state92.4%1,0991,189
International applicants85.4%193226
Men89.9%4,3714,863
Women92.4%7,0167,597

Of 11,387 admitted students, 1,677 enrolled (14.7% yield).

Ferris State University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.

Test scores and GPA of admitted students

SAT (mid-50%)
900–1120
ACT (mid-50%)
20–24
GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
2.503.99

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

Ferris State University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.

Cost and financial aid

Published cost of attendance: $32,048/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$16,170
Fees, housing, food, books & other$15,878
Sticker cost of attendance$32,048/yr

Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)

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

U.S. Dept. of Education · College Scorecard — average net price by family income (Title IV, from IPEDS) · 2023

US applicants

Need- and merit-based aid available.

  • President's Scholarship$5,000 per year (Merit)
  • Ferris State University ScholarshipUp to $3,000 per year (Automatic)
  • Bulldog ScholarshipUp to $1,500 per year (Automatic)
  • Distinguished Scholar AwardFull tuition, fees, room, and board (Full Tuition)
  • Ferris GrantVaries (Need Based)
  • Trustee ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

International applicants

No need-based aid reported for internationals.

  • International Freshman ScholarshipUp to $6,000 per year (International Aid)
  • President's Scholarship$5,000 per year (Merit)
  • International Transfer ScholarshipUp to $4,000 per year (International Aid)
  • Ferris State University ScholarshipUp to $3,000 per year (Automatic)
  • Bulldog ScholarshipUp to $1,500 per year (Automatic)
  • Distinguished Scholar AwardFull tuition, fees, room, and board (Full Tuition)
  • Trustee ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

Ferris State University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024

Application requirements

US applicants

  • Official High School Transcript
  • College Transcripts
  • SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
  • KCAD Portfolio

International applicants

  • Official High School Transcript
  • College Transcripts
  • SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
  • KCAD Portfolio
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)

Ferris State University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025

Essay prompts

Ferris State University requires no supplemental essays.

Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$54,735
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
46.9%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
77.6%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$21,000
At graduation

Ferris State University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.

Published rankings

  • U.S. News National: #329
  • Niche: #552

Deadlines

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (19%), Visual & performing arts (5%), Biological & life sciences (3%).

Student–faculty ratio: 14:1 · 57% of class sections have under 20 students.

Ferris State University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.

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