by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Ferris retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 78% students making it past their freshmen year, Ferris has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Michigan, the average is 70.80%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Ferris | 78% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Michigan | 70.80% |
How many of the estimated 2307 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 48% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 59% of the students had graduated and after eight years 60% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Ferris graduation rate 59%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1891 | 48% |
| Six Years | 2307 | 59% |
| Eight Years | 52 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1569 | 40% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 1569 students or 40% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1569 students who did not complete their degree?
6 are still enrolled.
803 transferred to another institution.
Ferris lost contact with the remaining 742 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.4% |
| Transferred | 803 | 51.2% |
| Dropped Out | 742 | 47.3% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 35% |
| Black / African-American | 18% |
| Hispanic | 37% |
| International | 59% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 40% |
| Unknown | 40% |
| White | 53% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
A meaningful share of students at Ferris are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Ferris State University represent 47.06% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ferris graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 56% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Ferris | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 40% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 55% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 47.82% |
807 first-time / full-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
6 are still enrolled.
435 transferred to another institution.
Ferris lost contact with the remaining 366 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 6 | 0.74% |
| Transferred | 435 | 53.90% |
| Dropped Out | 366 | 45.35% |
First-time / part-time students at Ferris State University represent 1.09% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ferris graduation rate was 23%, and by the eight year mark, 26% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Ferris | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 7% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 23% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 23.72% |
32 first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
16 transferred to another institution.
Ferris lost contact with the remaining 14 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 6.25% |
| Transferred | 16 | 50.00% |
| Dropped Out | 14 | 43.75% |
Returning / full-time students at Ferris State University represent 27.10% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ferris graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 67% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Ferris | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 66% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 55.07% |
356 non first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
197 transferred to another institution.
Ferris lost contact with the remaining 155 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.12% |
| Transferred | 197 | 55.34% |
| Dropped Out | 155 | 43.54% |
Returning / part-time students at Ferris State University represent 24.74% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ferris graduation rate was 60%, and by the eight year mark, 61% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Ferris | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 52% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 60% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 61% | 37.80% |
374 non first-time / part-time students or 39% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
155 transferred to another institution.
Ferris lost contact with the remaining 207 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 3.21% |
| Transferred | 155 | 41.44% |
| Dropped Out | 207 | 55.35% |
