Head-to-head comparison
Ferris State University vs Kalamazoo College: which has better ROI?
Option A Big Rapids, MI
Ferris State University
- Net price / year
- $8,624
- Earnings, 10 years
- $54,735
- Payback
- 5.4 yrs
Option B Kalamazoo, MI
Kalamazoo College
- Net price / year
- $19,072
- Earnings, 10 years
- $65,590
- Payback
- 4.4 yrs
Kalamazoo College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $76,288 in 4.4 years versus 5.4 years at Ferris State University, on median earnings of $65,590 vs $54,735 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Ferris State University | Kalamazoo College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,624 | $19,072 |
| Total net cost | $34,496 | $76,288 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $54,735 | $65,590 |
| Median debt | $21,000 | $26,077 |
| Payback | 5.4 yrs | 4.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $93,004 | $268,312 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Ferris State University or Kalamazoo College?
Ferris State University, at $8,624 a year after aid versus $19,072 — a gap of $10,448 a year, or $41,792 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Ferris State University or Kalamazoo College graduates earn more?
Kalamazoo College graduates report a median $65,590 ten years after entry, $10,855 more than the $54,735 at Ferris State University. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Ferris State University or Kalamazoo College?
Ferris State University: its completers carry a median $21,000 in federal loans versus $26,077 at Kalamazoo College, a difference of $5,077. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
76% of students finish at Kalamazoo College, against 47% at Ferris State University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.