BSU vs. IU East

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

BSU IU East
Location Muncie, IN Richmond, IN
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 19,777 3,039
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #855
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu iue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BSU IU East
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $20,634
Room & Board $10,904 $9,412
Avg Net Price $12,615 $8,837
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $7,874
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 93%

Admission

BSU IU East
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 1,586
Admitted 15,761 1,230
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 77.6%
Enrolled % 22.1% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 18/26
SAT Range 1090/1260 960/1200
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 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

BSU IU East
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

BSU IU East
Graduation Rate 55% 19%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $32,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $211

Diversity

BSU IU East
% Men 35% 35%
% Women 65% 65%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 87%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

BSU IU East
% In-State 90% 74%
% Out-of-State 9% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than IU East based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 3,039 students)

BSU vs. IU East Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or IU East?

  • Ball State University is 15.9% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.6% higher at BSU than Indiana University East ($25,918.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than BSU ($8,837 vs. $12,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 15.9% lower than costs at Ball State University ($9,412 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Indiana University East (97% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 45% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($11,418 vs. $7,874)

BSU vs. IU East Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 109 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming BSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at IU East (3.41)
  • IU East has a higher acceptance rate (77.6%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. IU East Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Indiana University East (55% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $9,600 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,000)
  • IU East graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($211 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 40%)

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