BSU vs. IU

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

 BSU IU
Location Muncie, IN Bloomington, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,777 47,005
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #200
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU IU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $10,012
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $37,685
Room & Board $10,904 $12,228
Avg Net Price $12,615 $16,234
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $10,336
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 74%

Admission

 BSU IU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 50,080
Admitted 15,761 41,272
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 82.4%
Enrolled % 22.1% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 27/32
SAT Range 1090/1260 1180/1400
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 IU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 BSU IU
Graduation Rate 55% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $232

Diversity

 BSU IU
% Men 35% 51%
% Women 65% 49%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 71%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 BSU IU
% In-State 90% 51%
% Out-of-State 9% 42%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 19,777 students)

BSU vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or IU?

  • Indiana University Bloomington is 18.7% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($10,012.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.4% higher at IU than Ball State University ($37,685.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than IU ($12,615 vs. $16,234)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 12.1% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($10,904 vs. $12,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Indiana University Bloomington (97% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 10.5% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($11,418 vs. $10,336)

BSU vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 129 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming IU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than Ball State University (72% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $13,700 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $42,500)
  • Indiana University Bloomington students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • IU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More IU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 63%)

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