BSU vs. K-State

Should I go to Ball State University or Kansas State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or K-State 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

KU Purdue North Central ESU IU Purdue Indiana State IU Northwest IPFW IUPUI Ohio University Kent State Johnson County Community College
Ball State University vs. Kansas State University comparison
Ball State University Kansas State University College 3 College 4
Ball State University Kansas State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 BSU K-State
Location Muncie, IN Manhattan, KS
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 20,440 19,745
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #457
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu k-state.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU K-State
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $9,964
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $26,838
Room & Board $12,064 $12,020
Avg Net Price $13,017 $18,745
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $9,391
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 90%

Admission

 BSU K-State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 13,437
Admitted 20,525 10,663
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 79.4%
Enrolled % 18.6% 29.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.77
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 20/27
SAT Range 1080/1250 1040/1260
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 K-State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Agriculture (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 BSU K-State
Graduation Rate 55% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $49,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $232

Diversity

 BSU K-State
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 21% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 78%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU K-State
% In-State 90% 72%
% Out-of-State 9% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than K-State based on total student enrollment (20,440 students vs. 19,745 students)

BSU vs. K-State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or K-State?

  • Kansas State University is 14.7% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($9,964.00 vs. $8,688.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at K-State than Ball State University ($26,838.00 vs. $26,696.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than K-State ($13,017 vs. $18,745)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kansas State University are 0.4% lower than costs at Ball State University ($12,020 vs. $12,064)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kansas State University than Ball State University (90% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 38.9% larger than aid received Kansas State University ($13,046 vs. $9,391)

BSU vs. K-State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman K-State students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • K-State has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than BSU (71.6%)

BSU vs. K-State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or K-State? 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 K-State and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at K-State is higher than Ball State University (56% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Kansas State University earn on average $7,200 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($49,700 vs. $42,500)
  • Kansas State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • K-State graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More K-State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

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