BSU vs. Eastern

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

 BSU Eastern
Location Muncie, IN Richmond, KY
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,440 15,008
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #873
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu eku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Eastern
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $9,830
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $20,520
Room & Board $12,064 $11,735
Avg Net Price $13,017 $10,852
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $11,460
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 98%

Admission

 BSU Eastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 17,082
Admitted 20,525 13,340
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 78.1%
Enrolled % 18.6% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 17/24
SAT Range 1080/1250 930/1190
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, 2026

Academics

 BSU Eastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU Eastern
Graduation Rate 55% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,695
Median Loan Payment $258 $245

Diversity

 BSU Eastern
% Men 6% 4%
% Women 21% 11%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 85%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU Eastern
% In-State 90% 92%
% Out-of-State 9% 8%

Campus

 BSU Eastern
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 Eastern based on total student enrollment (20,440 students vs. 15,008 students)

BSU vs. Eastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Eastern?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 13.1% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($9,830.00 vs. $8,688.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.1% higher at BSU than Eastern Kentucky University ($26,696.00 vs. $20,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than BSU ($10,852 vs. $13,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 2.8% lower than costs at Ball State University ($11,735 vs. $12,064)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Ball State University (98% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 13.8% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($13,046 vs. $11,460)

BSU vs. Eastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 42 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming BSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • Eastern has a higher acceptance rate (78.1%) than BSU (71.6%)

BSU vs. Eastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (55% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $4,600 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,305 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($23,695 vs. $25,000)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($245 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 49%)

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