BSU vs. Purdue Northwest

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

BSU Purdue Northwest
Location Muncie, IN Hammond, Indiana
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,777 8,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BSU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $7,373
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $14,364
Room & Board $10,904 $8,215
Avg Net Price $12,615 $9,162
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $7,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 75%

Admission

BSU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 5,670
Admitted 15,761 4,129
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 72.8%
Enrolled % 22.1% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/28 18/24
SAT Range 1090/1260 950/1170
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 Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

BSU Purdue Northwest
% Men 35% 44%
% Women 65% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low -
HBCU No No
% White 81% 0%
% Black 8% 0%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

BSU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 90% 87%
% Out-of-State 9% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 8,911 students)

BSU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Ball State University is 14.4% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $7,373.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.4% higher at BSU than Purdue University Northwest ($25,918.00 vs. $14,364.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than BSU ($9,162 vs. $12,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 32.7% lower than costs at Ball State University ($8,215 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Purdue University Northwest (97% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 61.5% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($11,418 vs. $7,070)

BSU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • Purdue Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or Purdue Northwest? 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 Purdue Northwest and BSU.

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