BSU vs. Butler

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

BSU Butler
Location Muncie, IN Indianapolis, IN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,777 5,525
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #210
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu butler.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BSU Butler
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $43,470
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $43,470
Room & Board $10,904 $15,260
Avg Net Price $12,615 $37,399
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $25,728
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 98%

Admission

BSU Butler
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 13,386
Admitted 15,761 10,985
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 82.1%
Enrolled % 22.1% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.92
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 24/30
SAT Range 1090/1260 1110/1320
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

BSU Butler
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

BSU Butler
Graduation Rate 55% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $68,400
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

BSU Butler
% Men 35% 39%
% Women 65% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 82%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

BSU Butler
% In-State 90% 45%
% Out-of-State 9% 53%

Campus

BSU Butler
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Butler based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 5,525 students)

BSU vs. Butler Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Butler?

  • Butler University is 415.4% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($43,470.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.7% higher at Butler than Ball State University ($43,470.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Butler ($12,615 vs. $37,399)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 39.9% lower than costs at Butler University ($10,904 vs. $15,260)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Butler University than Ball State University (98% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Butler University students is 125.3% larger than aid received Ball State University ($25,728 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. Butler Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Butler University (1209) is 139 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming Butler students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Butler students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Butler has a higher acceptance rate (82.1%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Butler Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Butler is higher than Ball State University (72% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Butler University earn on average $25,900 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($68,400 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Butler graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Butler graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Butler graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 63%)

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