BSU vs. Marian

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

 BSU Marian
Location Muncie, IN Indianapolis, IN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,777 3,701
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu marian.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Marian
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $37,600
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $37,600
Room & Board $10,904 $12,000
Avg Net Price $12,615 $22,554
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $28,904
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 BSU Marian
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 1,997
Admitted 15,761 1,874
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 93.8%
Enrolled % 22.1% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 BSU Marian
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 (55%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)
  • Psychology (3%)

Outcomes

 BSU Marian
Graduation Rate 55% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

 BSU Marian
% Men 35% 37%
% Women 65% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 72%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 BSU Marian
% In-State 90% 87%
% Out-of-State 9% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Marian based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 3,701 students)

BSU vs. Marian Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Marian?

  • Marian University is 345.8% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($37,600.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.1% higher at Marian than Ball State University ($37,600.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Marian ($12,615 vs. $22,554)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 10.1% lower than costs at Marian University ($10,904 vs. $12,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marian University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marian University students is 153.1% larger than aid received Ball State University ($28,904 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. Marian Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 44 points higher than at Marian (1026)
  • Incoming Marian students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Marian students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Marian has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Marian Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Marian is higher than Ball State University (58% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Marian University earn on average $2,300 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Marian graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Marian graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Marian students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 57%)

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