Ferrum College
Ferrum, Virginia · Private Nonprofit · 89.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 17/100 · Poor Value
Ferrum College in rural southwest Virginia posts a 17 ROI score, the lowest in this batch and firmly in the Poor Value tier. Ferrum is a small Methodist-affiliated private college with $28,520 sticker tuition and a $20,082 net price after institutional aid. Four-year total cost is $80,328. The numbers driving the score are severe: a 31.9 percent completion rate (among the worst in the dataset), $44,296 ten-year median earnings against just $28,100 at six years, an 11.6 percent earnings premium, and a punishing 23.7-year payback period. Median debt is $27,000 with a 0.961 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 6), meaning debt nearly equals annual earnings for the median graduate. Repayment is weak at 62 percent at three years dropping to 56 percent at five. The combination of low completion, modest earnings, and high debt makes this one of the harder financial cases in the dataset to defend at any price tier.
The data raises concerns about Ferrum College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score17/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate31.9% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period23.7 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Ferrum College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $28,520/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,520/yr |
| Average net price | $20,082/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $80,328 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,296 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 23.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 31.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 699 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Ferrum College is $28,520/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $20,082/year, or roughly $80,328 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,940/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,346/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $44,296 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.96 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $16,940 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,493 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,967 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,505 |
| $110,001+ | $24,346 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Notable inversion: families under $30,000 pay $16,940, but the $30,001 to $48,000 bracket pays less at $16,493. That is a mild small-sample anomaly worth flagging. Four-year cost for low-income students is approximately $68,000, against $44,296 median earnings ten years out. Combined with the 31.9 percent completion rate, the expected outcome for low-income students is the worst combination: debt without a degree.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $16,493 (the $30,001 to $48,000 tier) to $19,967 (the $48,001 to $75,000 tier). Total four-year cost lands around $66,000 to $80,000. The progression is otherwise normal but the numbers do not make financial sense given Ferrum's earnings outcomes. Middle-income families have much better options at Virginia's strong public-college system.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $24,346, with the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket at $22,505. The curve is normal but the high tier still represents roughly $97,000 over four years. There is essentially no financial case for higher-income students to choose Ferrum unless the family is fully paying out of pocket for the specific residential experience or program.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Ferrum College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $42,664 | F |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $49,527 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $33,795 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,235 | D |
| Psychology | $37,841 | - |
| Accounting | $60,070 | - |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $42,229 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Teacher Education is the largest cohort at 25 graduates with F grade. First-year earnings of just $29,100 against $31,000 in median debt produce a 1.065 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning debt exceeds annual earnings. Year-four earnings of $42,664 show only modest progression, reflecting Virginia teacher pay scales. The high debt level for a low-paying credential makes this one of the most financially difficult programs in the entire dataset to defend.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 11 graduates with D grade. First-year earnings of $33,795 against $27,000 in median debt yield a 0.799 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-four earnings are not reported. The financial math is uncomfortable and graduates would be better served by a Virginia community college plus transfer to Virginia Tech, Radford, or VCU.
Natural Resources Conservation
Natural Resources Conservation produces 11 graduates. ROI grade and debt are not reported, but year-four median earnings of $49,527 suggest a real career pathway exists for graduates. The program plays to Ferrum's rural Appalachian setting and the school's traditional strength in natural resources. This is the closest thing to a defensible program here for students with a clear conservation, forestry, or wildlife management interest.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice shows 8 graduates with D grade. First-year earnings of $42,080 climb to $60,235 by year four, but median debt is $29,500, the highest in the program list, yielding a 0.701 debt-to-earnings ratio. Career paths into Virginia state and federal law enforcement are real but the heavy debt load relative to entry-level pay makes graduates' early years difficult.
Accounting
Accounting produces just 4 graduates per year. Year-four median earnings of $60,070 suggest decent post-graduation outcomes for the small cohort that completes. ROI grade and debt are not reported. The tiny program size means this is a niche option rather than a feature program; students seriously targeting Accounting should evaluate larger Virginia options with stronger CPA preparation pipelines.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 56.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 61.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 56.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 89.0% |
| Enrollment | 699 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 54.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,763 |
Ferrum admits 89 percent of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, indicating a test-optional posture. The 89 percent admit rate paired with a 31.9 percent completion rate is the central warning: the school admits broadly but fewer than one in three students finish. Prepared students should evaluate carefully whether the small-college support infrastructure will actually help them complete, because the historical data says it largely does not.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Named peers include Averett University, Bluefield University, St. Andrews University, Herzing University Minneapolis, and Villa Maria College. Bluefield is the closest geographic and structural peer (small VA private with similar admissions profile) and scored 32 here. Averett University in Virginia is another close comparable, typically posting Poor Value scores. Among this peer cluster, Ferrum's 17 score is at the very bottom, dragged primarily by the 31.9 percent completion rate which is meaningfully worse than any of its peers.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrum College (this school) | 17 | $20,082 | $44,296 |
| Averett University | 37 | $22,925 | $51,516 |
| Bluefield University | 32 | $25,573 | $48,896 |
| Herzing University-Minneapolis | 16 | $16,670 | $36,909 |
| St. Andrews University | 16 | $32,513 | $45,606 |
| Villa Maria College | 15 | $13,494 | $38,857 |
Who Thrives Here
Ferrum fits a narrow profile: a southwest Virginia or rural Appalachian student drawn to the small-college environment and ideally targeting the school's Natural Resources Conservation pathway (an area of regional strength), with substantial family aid or scholarship support. Pell rate is 54.3 percent, meaning a majority of students are from low-income households. Enrollment is just 699. The combination of low completion and high debt-to-earnings means the realistic recommendation for most prospective students is to look at Virginia community-college options first and consider Ferrum only if there is a specific program fit and clear financing path.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Ferrum College. With a net cost of $20,082 per year and median graduate earnings of only $44,296 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 23.7 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 31.9% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 against $44,296 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.