BSU vs. CMU

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

 BSU CMU
Location Muncie, IN Mount Pleasant, MI
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,440 14,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu cmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU CMU
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $13,740
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $13,740
Room & Board $12,064 $12,178
Avg Net Price $13,017 $15,826
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $10,638
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 95%

Admission

 BSU CMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 18,102
Admitted 20,525 16,474
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 91%
Enrolled % 18.6% 12.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.47
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 21/27
SAT Range 1080/1250 960/1210
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

Academics

 BSU CMU
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 (24%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 BSU CMU
Graduation Rate 55% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $44,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

 BSU CMU
% Men 6% 13%
% Women 21% 17%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 79%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 BSU CMU
% In-State 90% 88%
% Out-of-State 9% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than CMU based on total student enrollment (20,440 students vs. 14,399 students)

BSU vs. CMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or CMU?

  • Central Michigan University is 58.1% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($13,740.00 vs. $8,688.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.3% higher at BSU than Central Michigan University ($26,696.00 vs. $13,740.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than CMU ($13,017 vs. $15,826)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 0.9% lower than costs at Central Michigan University ($12,064 vs. $12,178)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central Michigan University than Ball State University (95% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 22.6% larger than aid received Central Michigan University ($13,046 vs. $10,638)

BSU vs. CMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 21 points higher than at CMU (1049)
  • Incoming CMU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at CMU (3.47)
  • CMU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than BSU (71.6%)

BSU vs. CMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Central Michigan University (55% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Central Michigan University earn on average $2,000 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($44,500 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CMU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than CMU graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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