Health Professions at Ferris State University

Ferris State's Health Professions program commands $50,543 in first-year earnings—ranking in the 80th percentile among Michigan programs and well above the state median of $34,203. That's nearly $16,000 more than what graduates from Grand Valley State typically earn in this field. The debt load of $29,518 sits slightly higher than both state and national averages, but with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, graduates can realistically pay this down within a few years of starting work.

The puzzling element here is the earnings trajectory: salaries drop to $46,406 by year four, an 8% decline. This pattern sometimes appears when graduates start in higher-paying clinical or hospital roles, then transition to positions with better schedules or less demanding hours. It could also reflect the nature of allied health fields where entry-level acute care positions pay premium wages for less desirable shifts.

For families weighing this investment, the initial salary advantage is real and substantial compared to other Michigan options. The debt burden is manageable given those first-year earnings, even accounting for the later dip. If your child is targeting immediate post-graduation income and can tolerate the uncertainty around mid-career progression, Ferris delivers strong early results in a state where this program typically produces modest outcomes.