Ferrum College vs. RU

Should I go to Ferrum College or Radford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Ferrum College or RU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Old Dominion Longwood University JMU VSU Virginia Tech VCU Mason University of Lynchburg UVa-Wise Liberty University CNU Mary Washington College
Ferrum College vs. Radford University comparison
Ferrum College Radford University College 3 College 4
Ferrum College Radford University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Ferrum College RU
Location Ferrum, VA Radford, VA
Setting Distant Rural Distant Town
Enrollment 855 7,718
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ferrum.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ferrum College RU
Tuition (In State) $37,400 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $37,400 $20,246
Room & Board $13,230 $10,567
Avg Net Price $25,558 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $26,580 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 96%

Admission

Ferrum College RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,452 11,442
Admitted 1,224 10,680
Acceptance Rate 84.3% 93.3%
Enrolled % 19.4% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/23
SAT Range 900/1110 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Sep 15, 2024

Academics

Ferrum College RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Ferrum College RU
Graduation Rate 31% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $289 $237

Diversity

Ferrum College RU
% Men 58% 33%
% Women 42% 67%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 71%
% Black 34% 13%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Ferrum College RU
% In-State 64% 89%
% Out-of-State 34% 11%

Campus

Ferrum College RU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than Ferrum College based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 855 students)

Ferrum College vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ferrum College or RU?

  • Ferrum College is 358.6% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.7% higher at Ferrum College than Radford University ($37,400.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Ferrum College ($17,105 vs. $25,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 25.2% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($10,567 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Ferrum College (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is 173.1% larger than aid received Radford University ($26,580 vs. $9,733)

Ferrum College vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Ferrum College or RU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RU or Ferrum College .

  • Accepted freshman RU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Ferrum College (3.14)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Ferrum College (84.3%)

Ferrum College vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ferrum College or RU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between RU and Ferrum College.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Ferrum College (56% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $8,400 more per year than Ferrum College graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $39,000)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferrum College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $28,000)
  • RU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Ferrum College graduates. ($237 vs. $289)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ferrum College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 49%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/