BSU vs. IU Northwest

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

 BSU IU Northwest
Location Muncie, IN Gary, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,777 3,198
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu iun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU IU Northwest
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 $6,553
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $8,754
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 80%

Admission

 BSU IU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 1,915
Admitted 15,761 1,538
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 80.3%
Enrolled % 22.1% 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 20/25
SAT Range 1090/1260 950/1170
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 Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU IU Northwest
Graduation Rate 55% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $39,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,030
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

 BSU IU Northwest
% Men 35% 25%
% Women 65% 75%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 55%
% Black 8% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 20%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU IU Northwest
% In-State 90% 97%
% Out-of-State 9% 2%

Campus

 BSU IU Northwest
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 Northwest based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 3,198 students)

BSU vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or IU Northwest?

  • Ball State University is 15.9% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.6% higher at BSU than Indiana University Northwest ($25,918.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than BSU ($6,553 vs. $12,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest 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 Northwest (97% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 30.4% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($11,418 vs. $8,754)

BSU vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 142 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming BSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • IU Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (80.3%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Indiana University Northwest (55% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $3,000 more per year than IU Northwest graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $39,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $30 lower median federal student loan debt than IU Northwest graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,030)
  • Indiana University Northwest and BSU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 33%)

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