BSU vs. IWU

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

 BSU IWU
Location Muncie, IN Marion, IN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 19,777 2,603
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #299
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu indwes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU IWU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $29,684
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $29,684
Room & Board $10,904 $10,050
Avg Net Price $12,615 $21,755
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $20,194
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 BSU IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 3,946
Admitted 15,761 3,422
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 86.7%
Enrolled % 22.1% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 21/27
SAT Range 1090/1260 1000/1190
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

Academics

 BSU IWU
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 (56%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (3%)
  • Education (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)

Outcomes

 BSU IWU
Graduation Rate 55% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,104
Median Loan Payment $258 $249

Diversity

 BSU IWU
% Men 35% 34%
% Women 65% 66%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 73%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU IWU
% In-State 90% 60%
% Out-of-State 9% 39%

Campus

 BSU IWU
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 IWU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 2,603 students)

BSU vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or IWU?

  • Indiana Wesleyan University is 252% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($29,684.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.5% higher at IWU than Ball State University ($29,684.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than IWU ($12,615 vs. $21,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana Wesleyan University are 8.5% lower than costs at Ball State University ($10,050 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana Wesleyan University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana Wesleyan University students is 76.9% larger than aid received Ball State University ($20,194 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana Wesleyan University (1086) is 16 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • IWU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Ball State University (70% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Indiana Wesleyan University earn on average $11,800 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $42,500)
  • Indiana Wesleyan University students graduate with a $896 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($24,104 vs. $25,000)
  • IWU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($249 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IWU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 55%)

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