Applied Mathematics at Ferris State University

The debt-to-earnings picture looks manageable here, with an estimated $21,000 in debt against projected first-year earnings around $61,000—a ratio of 0.34 that suggests graduates could realistically pay down their loans within a few years. These figures come from national benchmarks for applied mathematics bachelor's programs, since Ferris State's graduate cohort in this major was too small for the Department of Education to publish specific outcomes. The estimated earnings align exactly with the national median for applied mathematics programs, suggesting typical performance for this field.

What's less clear is the trajectory. The actual reported earnings four years out—$54,347—sit about $6,500 below the estimated first-year figure. This could reflect career transitions, geographic factors specific to Ferris graduates, or simply the volatility that comes with small sample sizes. Applied mathematics typically offers strong career flexibility across industries like finance, tech, and research, but whether Ferris State's program connects students to those opportunities remains uncertain without program-specific data.

Given the uncertainty, this program represents a reasonable bet if your child is drawn to quantitative fields and values the smaller campus environment in Big Rapids. The debt load is moderate, and the estimated starting point is solid. But with ten applied mathematics programs across Michigan, it's worth comparing what other schools report about their actual graduate outcomes before committing.