BSU vs. Milligan

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

 BSU Milligan
Location Muncie, IN Milligan, TN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 20,440 1,200
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #515
Religious Affiliation - Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu milligan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Milligan
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $37,700
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $37,700
Room & Board $12,064 $8,000
Avg Net Price $13,017 $21,463
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $28,521
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 100%

Admission

 BSU Milligan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 1,164
Admitted 20,525 818
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 70.3%
Enrolled % 18.6% 29.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 21/27
SAT Range 1080/1250 1120/1290
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 28, 2026

Academics

 BSU Milligan
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU Milligan
Graduation Rate 55% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $263

Diversity

 BSU Milligan
% Men 6% 12%
% Women 21% 18%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 82%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 BSU Milligan
% In-State 90% 50%
% Out-of-State 9% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Milligan based on total student enrollment (20,440 students vs. 1,200 students)

BSU vs. Milligan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Milligan?

  • Milligan University is 333.9% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($37,700.00 vs. $8,688.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.2% higher at Milligan than Ball State University ($37,700.00 vs. $26,696.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Milligan ($13,017 vs. $21,463)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Milligan University are 50.8% lower than costs at Ball State University ($8,000 vs. $12,064)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milligan University than Ball State University (100% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milligan University students is 118.6% larger than aid received Ball State University ($28,521 vs. $13,046)

BSU vs. Milligan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Milligan University (1128) is 58 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming Milligan students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Milligan students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • BSU has a higher acceptance rate (71.6%) than Milligan (70.3%)

BSU vs. Milligan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Ball State University students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Milligan graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,500)
  • BSU graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Milligan graduates. ($258 vs. $263)
  • More Milligan graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 63%)

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