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Ferris State University Salaries

  • 5/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • Big Rapids, MI
  • 4.0 2 reviews
#10 Best Public Universities in Michigan
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Salaries by Major

Salaries by Major at Ferris State University

This page shows median first-year earnings for Ferris State University graduates by major, based on federal College Scorecard data. Six years after enrolling, former students who are working and no longer in school report average earnings of $39,100 per year; after ten years, average earnings are $47,000. See post-graduation earnings for full trends over time.

Below, majors are ranked by median first-year earnings.

The highest-paying undergraduate degree is Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, with median first-year earnings of $72,300 , followed by Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians at $68,900 , and Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at $67,600 .

Among graduate and professional degree programs, the highest-paying program is Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degree), with median first-year earnings of $121,500 , followed by Optometry (First Professional Degree) at $85,900 , and Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) at $85,100 .

First-year earnings data come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and reflect IRS-reported income for Ferris State University graduates who received federal grants or loans. Some programs are omitted for privacy.

Median first-year earnings for Ferris State University graduates ranked by degree type and major
Major Earnings
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degree) $121,500
Optometry (First Professional Degree) $85,900
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) $85,100
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Graduate/Professional Certificate) $78,600
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degree) $76,800
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) $72,300
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) $68,900
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) $67,600
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) $67,200
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) $65,500
Manufacturing Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) $63,900
Construction Management (Bachelor’s Degree) $62,300
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor’s Degree) $59,700
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) $59,600
Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) $59,100
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) $58,600
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies (Bachelor’s Degree) $58,300
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor’s Degree) $53,800
Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degree) $52,900
Computer and Information Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) $51,400
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor’s Degree) $51,100
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor’s Degree) $50,500
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies (Associate's Degree) $48,500
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) $45,900
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Bachelor’s Degree) $45,400
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degree) $44,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor’s Degree) $44,200
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor’s Degree) $43,800
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degree) $42,300
Marketing (Bachelor’s Degree) $41,400
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Bachelor’s Degree) $39,500
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degree) $39,100
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor’s Degree) $37,900
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor’s Degree) $35,700
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degree) $34,200
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor’s Degree) $33,700
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor’s Degree) $33,700
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor’s Degree) $32,600
Graphic Communications (Bachelor’s Degree) $32,500
Social Work (Bachelor’s Degree) $31,700
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) $30,200
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (Bachelor’s Degree) $29,700
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degree) $29,000
Hospitality Administration/Management (Bachelor’s Degree) $29,000
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) $28,500
Liberal Arts and Sciences Studies and Humanities (Bachelor’s Degree) $28,000
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) $24,200
Psychology (Bachelor’s Degree) $24,100
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) $23,900
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Bachelor’s Degree) $23,100
Biology (Bachelor’s Degree) $20,400
Biological and Physical Sciences (Associate's Degree) $9,200

Other Colleges to Consider

Students considering Ferris State University often consider these colleges

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=169910.

First-year earnings by major: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Last updated: August 2026