BSU vs. ASU

Should I go to Ball State University or Appalachian State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or ASU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Ball State University vs. Appalachian State University comparison
Ball State University Appalachian State University College 3 College 4
Ball State University Appalachian State University
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Overview

 BSU ASU
Location Muncie, IN Boone, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,440 21,253
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu appstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU ASU
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $4,242
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $21,238
Room & Board $12,064 $12,258
Avg Net Price $13,017 $14,712
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $7,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 47%

Admission

 BSU ASU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 24,001
Admitted 20,525 21,275
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 88.6%
Enrolled % 18.6% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.96
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 21/27
SAT Range 1080/1250 1100/1280
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 BSU ASU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU ASU
Graduation Rate 55% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $211

Diversity

 BSU ASU
% Men 6% 3%
% Women 21% 6%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 85%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 BSU ASU
% In-State 90% 87%
% Out-of-State 9% 13%

Campus

 BSU ASU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Appalachian State University is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (21,253 students vs. 20,440 students)

BSU vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or ASU?

  • Ball State University is 104.8% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($8,688.00 vs. $4,242.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.7% higher at BSU than Appalachian State University ($26,696.00 vs. $21,238.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than ASU ($13,017 vs. $14,712)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 1.6% lower than costs at Appalachian State University ($12,064 vs. $12,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Appalachian State University (75% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 69.9% larger than aid received Appalachian State University ($13,046 vs. $7,677)

BSU vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BSU or ASU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ASU or BSU .

  • The average SAT score at Appalachian State University (1157) is 87 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than BSU (71.6%)

BSU vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or ASU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between ASU and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than Ball State University (65% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $900 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $41,600)
  • Appalachian State University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,000)
  • ASU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($211 vs. $258)
  • More ASU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/