BSU vs. BGSU

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

 BSU BGSU
Location Muncie, IN Bowling Green, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 19,777 16,920
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #728
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU BGSU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $11,272
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $19,845
Room & Board $10,904 $12,584
Avg Net Price $12,615 $20,485
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $8,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 95%

Admission

 BSU BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 17,447
Admitted 15,761 13,723
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 78.7%
Enrolled % 22.1% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 20/25
SAT Range 1090/1260 990/1200
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 15, 2025

Academics

 BSU BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 BSU BGSU
Graduation Rate 55% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

 BSU BGSU
% Men 35% 42%
% Women 65% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 78%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 BSU BGSU
% In-State 90% 88%
% Out-of-State 9% 11%

Campus

 BSU BGSU
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 BGSU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 16,920 students)

BSU vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or BGSU?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 33.6% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($11,272.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.6% higher at BSU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($25,918.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than BGSU ($12,615 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 15.4% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,904 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (97% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 28.3% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,418 vs. $8,898)

BSU vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 58 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming BSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Ball State University (58% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $1,100 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 53%)

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