BSU vs. Belmont

Should I go to Ball State University or Belmont University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or Belmont 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. Belmont University comparison
Ball State University Belmont University College 3 College 4
Ball State University Belmont University
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Overview

 BSU Belmont
Location Muncie, IN Nashville, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,777 8,910
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #317
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu belmont.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Belmont
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $38,000
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $38,000
Room & Board $10,904 $13,670
Avg Net Price $12,615 $36,225
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $22,080
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 91%

Admission

 BSU Belmont
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 9,163
Admitted 15,761 8,821
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 96.3%
Enrolled % 22.1% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 24/30
SAT Range 1090/1260 1150/1340
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 BSU Belmont
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Communications Technology (5%)

Outcomes

 BSU Belmont
Graduation Rate 55% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,780
Median Loan Payment $258 $225

Diversity

 BSU Belmont
% Men 35% 33%
% Women 65% 67%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 80%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 BSU Belmont
% In-State 90% 27%
% Out-of-State 9% 72%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Belmont based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 8,910 students)

BSU vs. Belmont Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Belmont?

  • Belmont University is 350.6% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($38,000.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.6% higher at Belmont than Ball State University ($38,000.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Belmont ($12,615 vs. $36,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 25.4% lower than costs at Belmont University ($10,904 vs. $13,670)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Belmont University (97% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Belmont University students is 93.4% larger than aid received Ball State University ($22,080 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. Belmont Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Belmont University (1158) is 88 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming Belmont students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Belmont students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Belmont has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Belmont Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or Belmont? 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 Belmont and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at Belmont is higher than Ball State University (68% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Belmont University earn on average $6,600 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $42,500)
  • Belmont University students graduate with a $3,220 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($21,780 vs. $25,000)
  • Belmont graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($225 vs. $258)
  • More Belmont graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)

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