Health/Medical Preparatory Programs at Ferris State University

With a first-year salary of just $12,010, Ferris State's health/medical prep program produces earnings that rank in the bottom 5% nationally—yet somehow that's exactly average for Michigan programs in this field. This reveals a troubling reality: associate-level health prep programs in Michigan systematically underperform the national norm (where typical grads earn $27,336), and this program sits squarely in the middle of that struggling pack.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could swing dramatically year-to-year, but the pattern raises serious questions. Taking on $18,495 in debt for barely above minimum-wage earnings creates immediate financial stress—you're looking at debt that exceeds 1.5 times first-year income. While students may be working part-time or planning to transfer to complete their healthcare training, there's no clear evidence this particular pathway delivers better outcomes than direct entry into other programs. Michigan families should scrutinize whether this associate degree serves as an effective stepping stone or simply delays entry into careers that could start earlier through alternative routes like direct-entry healthcare programs or on-the-job training pathways.