Ferrum College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Ferrum, Virginia. It enrolls 699 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
50/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes10
Value29
Affordability70
Selectivity22
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 89%, Ferrum College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
89%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Ferrum College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
26.8 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Ferrum College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $20,082 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$20,082
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
54%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
85%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$28,520
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,230
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,230
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,550
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,550
Total Cost of Attendance
$54,526
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$16,940
$30,001 – $48,000
$16,493
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,967
$75,001 – $110,000
$22,505
Over $110,000
$24,346
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,25010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$41,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $14,750
↓ $12,250
No Pell $12,000
↓ $15,000
Dependent students $13,795
↓ $13,205
Independent students $21,000
↓ $6,000
Female students $21,500
↓ $5,500
Male students $12,000
↓ $15,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,067, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
31% of full-time students who enrolled at Ferrum College graduate within six years, and 62% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
31%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
62%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Ferrum College earn a median of $44,296 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,296
Earning > $25K
74%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$35,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$44,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$40,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$44,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,400, about 21% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
27.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 83% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Ferrum College is home to 699 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 39% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
699
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
39%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 49.1%343
Black 21.0%147
Hispanic 6.2%43
Other 4.2%29
Asian 0.7%5
International 0.6%4
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Ferrum College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: DistantFerrum, Virginia
Housing
Strongly residential1,293 beds for 699 students
Adult Learners
3%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Ferrum College offers
a varied set of programs:
29 distinct programs across
18 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Ferrum College is 11:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$98M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$51,794
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
49 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
4
8%
$60,495
Associate Professors
22
45%
$52,632
Assistant Professors
19
39%
$51,185
Instructors
3
6%
$45,167
Lecturers
1
2%
$30,000
Pros & Cons of Ferrum College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Ferrum College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Most students take on federal loans
Best for:
Based on the data, Ferrum College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ferrum College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Ferrum College.
Is Ferrum College hard to get into?
Ferrum College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 89%.
What is the acceptance rate at Ferrum College?
Ferrum College has an acceptance rate of 89%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Ferrum College cost?
The average net price after aid at Ferrum College is $20,082 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Ferrum College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,296 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $20,082 per year. That's roughly 2.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Ferrum College known for?
Ferrum College is best known for its programs in Teaching Specific Subjects, Liberal Arts, Health/Medical Preparatory. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Ferrum College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Ferrum College are $44,296, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Ferrum College accredited?
Yes. Ferrum College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Ferrum College?
Ferrum College enrolls 699 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Ferrum College?
Ferrum College graduates 31% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Ferrum College a public or private college?
Ferrum College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Ferrum College located?
Ferrum College is located in Ferrum, Virginia.
What programs does Ferrum College offer?
Ferrum College offers 29 distinct programs. The most popular include Teaching Specific Subjects, Liberal Arts, Health/Medical Preparatory.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Ferrum College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Ferrum College is 11:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Virginia
Other colleges in Virginia share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
