BSU vs. IPFW

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

 BSU IPFW
Location Muncie, IN Fort Wayne, IN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,777 9,069
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #848
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu ipfw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU IPFW
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $7,815
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $20,403
Room & Board $10,904 $10,111
Avg Net Price $12,615 $11,951
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $7,432
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 BSU IPFW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 5,853
Admitted 15,761 4,721
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 80.7%
Enrolled % 22.1% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 20/26
SAT Range 1090/1260 980/1210
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 BSU IPFW
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 (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU IPFW
Graduation Rate 55% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $38,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $253

Diversity

 BSU IPFW
% Men 35% 48%
% Women 65% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 82%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 BSU IPFW
% In-State 90% 85%
% Out-of-State 9% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 9,069 students)

BSU vs. IPFW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or IPFW?

  • Ball State University is 7.9% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $7,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27% higher at BSU than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($25,918.00 vs. $20,403.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than BSU ($11,951 vs. $12,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 7.8% lower than costs at Ball State University ($10,111 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 53.6% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($11,418 vs. $7,432)

BSU vs. IPFW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 75 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming BSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at IPFW (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at IPFW (3.37)
  • IPFW has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. IPFW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (55% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $3,900 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $38,600)
  • Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($24,500 vs. $25,000)
  • IPFW graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($253 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IPFW students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 51%)

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