The study investigates room-temperature ferromagnetism in (110) oriented ZnO films doped with 5 at % of various transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni) but not with Cr, Mn, or Cu. The magnetic moments are significant, with values of 1.9 μB/atom for Co and 0.5 μB/atom for Ti. Sc-doped ZnO also exhibits a moment of 0.3 μB/Sc. The magnetization is highly anisotropic, varying by up to a factor of three depending on the orientation of the applied field relative to the R-cut sapphire substrates. The results are interpreted using a spin-split donor impurity band model, which explains the ferromagnetism in insulating or conducting high-k oxides with magnetic ion concentrations far below the percolation threshold. The variation in ferromagnetism with oxygen pressure during film growth suggests a link between ferromagnetism and defect concentration. The study also highlights the unusual anisotropy of the magnetization and the unquenched moment of Co2+ in ZnO, which may be due to the small ligand field and the screening of distant crystal field contributions. Further research is needed to understand the role of defects and the d character acquired by impurity-band defect states.The study investigates room-temperature ferromagnetism in (110) oriented ZnO films doped with 5 at % of various transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni) but not with Cr, Mn, or Cu. The magnetic moments are significant, with values of 1.9 μB/atom for Co and 0.5 μB/atom for Ti. Sc-doped ZnO also exhibits a moment of 0.3 μB/Sc. The magnetization is highly anisotropic, varying by up to a factor of three depending on the orientation of the applied field relative to the R-cut sapphire substrates. The results are interpreted using a spin-split donor impurity band model, which explains the ferromagnetism in insulating or conducting high-k oxides with magnetic ion concentrations far below the percolation threshold. The variation in ferromagnetism with oxygen pressure during film growth suggests a link between ferromagnetism and defect concentration. The study also highlights the unusual anisotropy of the magnetization and the unquenched moment of Co2+ in ZnO, which may be due to the small ligand field and the screening of distant crystal field contributions. Further research is needed to understand the role of defects and the d character acquired by impurity-band defect states.