Ferrum College

Ferrum College's published cost of attendance is $54,526. Net price by income band varies across the student population: low-income families pay approximately $16,940, mid-low-income families pay around $16,493, middle-income families pay about $19,967, mid-high-income families pay approximately $22,505, and higher-income families pay around $24,346.

Azimuth ranks Ferrum College #942 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Ferrum College uses need-based financial aid to reshape the sticker price for qualifying families.

The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Individual aid packages vary within each income band, so some families pay more and some less than the figures shown above.

For families evaluating affordability alongside career outcomes, the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) explainer offers context on how sticker price and net price diverge. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $35,650; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $46,725, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Ferrum College earn median 4-year earnings of $46,725, placing Ferrum College in the 8.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,748 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Ferrum College in the 30.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Ferrum College #1314 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's program portfolio centers on health-related fields, which anchor both enrollment and earnings outcomes.

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs is the largest program with 26 graduates, followed by Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 19 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,664. The Biology, General program graduates 13 students, while Natural Resources Conservation and Research with 10 graduates earns median 4-year earnings of $49,527, and Accounting with 8 graduates reaches median 4-year earnings of $60,070.

This concentration in Health fields reflects the institution's academic focus and shapes the overall earnings trajectory for its graduate population.

Ferrum College structures its academic portfolio around Health and applied professional fields. The largest programs by enrollment are Health/Medical Preparatory Programs with 26 graduates, followed by Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 19 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,664, Biology, General with 13 graduates, Natural Resources Conservation and Research with 10 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $49,527, and Accounting with 8 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $60,070.

Across 0 ranked programs, several deliver solid earnings outcomes aligned with the institution's regional and professional focus. The highest-earning programs at Ferrum College reflect strength in health and applied fields.

Accounting leads with median 4-year earnings of $60,070 for 8 graduates, followed by Natural Resources Conservation and Research with median 4-year earnings of $49,527 for 10 graduates, Subject-Specific Teacher Education with median 4-year earnings of $42,664 for 19 graduates, and Psychology, General with median 4-year earnings of $37,841 for 6 graduates. These programs represent direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter stable, in-demand roles in healthcare, education, and business sectors.

The program-mix signature reflects Business at 12%, Education at 12%, and Social Sciences at 2%, positioning Ferrum College as a career-focused institution anchored in applied health and professional disciplines. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these dominant program families align with regional labor-market demand and long-term employment stability.