Human Resources Management and Services at Ferris State University

Ferris State's Human Resources program produces graduates earning within a few hundred dollars of both national and state medians—but that makes it middle-of-the-pack in a Michigan HR market where several programs deliver significantly stronger outcomes. At $50,089 first-year earnings, graduates trail the state median by about $500 and fall in just the 40th percentile statewide. When nearby Michigan State places HR graduates at $56,501 and U-M Dearborn at nearly $56,000, that gap represents roughly $6,000 in first-year earnings that compounds over time.

The debt picture is reasonable but unremarkable: $27,000 matches both the Michigan and national medians exactly, creating a 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio that's manageable but not impressive. For a program at an accessible state institution (81% admission rate, serving a solid portion of Pell grant students), these numbers suggest competent preparation without standout placement outcomes.

The challenge here is opportunity cost within Michigan. If your child can access programs like MSU or even regional alternatives like Davenport ($51,681), they'd start their career with meaningfully higher earnings for similar debt loads. Ferris serves its students adequately, but unless there are compelling personal reasons to attend—location, specific faculty connections, or campus fit—stronger in-state options exist for families comparison shopping HR programs.