IU East vs. Ferris State University

Should I go to Indiana University East or Ferris State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU East or Ferris State University 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.

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Indiana University East vs. Ferris State University comparison
Indiana University East Ferris State University College 3 College 4
Ferris State University
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Overview

IU East Ferris State University
Location Richmond, IN Big Rapids, MI
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 3,039 10,072
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #855 #791
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iue.edu ferris.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU East Ferris State University
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $13,076
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $13,076
Room & Board $9,412 $10,268
Avg Net Price $8,837 $13,978
Avg Grant Aid $7,874 $11,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 94%

Admission

IU East Ferris State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,586 12,228
Admitted 1,230 10,746
Acceptance Rate 77.6% 87.9%
Enrolled % 28.4% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 18/23
SAT Range 960/1200 910/1150
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 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

IU East Ferris State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Engineering Technology (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

IU East Ferris State University
Graduation Rate 19% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,900 $47,000
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $24,179
Median Loan Payment $211 $250

Diversity

IU East Ferris State University
% Men 35% 45%
% Women 65% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 79%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

IU East Ferris State University
% In-State 74% 92%
% Out-of-State 25% 6%

Campus

IU East Ferris State University
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ferris State University is larger than than IU East based on total student enrollment (10,072 students vs. 3,039 students)

IU East vs. Ferris State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU East or Ferris State University?

  • Ferris State University is 79.8% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($13,076.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.8% higher at IU East than Ferris State University ($20,634.00 vs. $13,076.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than Ferris State University ($8,837 vs. $13,978)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 9.1% lower than costs at Ferris State University ($9,412 vs. $10,268)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ferris State University than Indiana University East (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferris State University students is 41.3% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($11,128 vs. $7,874)

IU East vs. Ferris State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IU East or Ferris State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Ferris State University or IU East .

  • The average SAT score at Ferris State University (1009) is 48 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming Ferris State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman IU East students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Ferris State University (3.3)
  • Ferris State University has a higher acceptance rate (87.9%) than IU East (77.6%)

IU East vs. Ferris State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU East or Ferris State University? 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 Ferris State University and IU East.

  • The graduation rate at Ferris State University is higher than Indiana University East (45% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Ferris State University earn on average $14,100 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $3,679 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferris State University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,179)
  • IU East graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Ferris State University graduates. ($211 vs. $250)
  • More Ferris State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 40%)

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