BSU vs. St. Ambrose University

Should I go to Ball State University or Saint Ambrose University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or St. Ambrose University 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. 

Purdue North Central IU Purdue Indiana State IU Northwest IPFW IUPUI Ohio University Kent State GVSU Augustana Earlham
Ball State University vs. Saint Ambrose University comparison
Ball State University Saint Ambrose University College 3 College 4
Ball State University Saint Ambrose University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Location Muncie, IN Davenport, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 20,440 2,703
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #437
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu sau.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $35,318
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $35,318
Room & Board $12,064 $12,348
Avg Net Price $13,017 $23,578
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $26,559
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 100%

Admission

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 3,456
Admitted 20,525 2,534
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 73.3%
Enrolled % 18.6% 16.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 20/27
SAT Range 1080/1250 1020/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Graduation Rate 55% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,764
Median Loan Payment $258 $266

Diversity

 BSU St. Ambrose University
% Men 6% 7%
% Women 21% 15%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 80%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 BSU St. Ambrose University
% In-State 90% 37%
% Out-of-State 9% 60%

Campus

 BSU St. Ambrose University
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 St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (20,440 students vs. 2,703 students)

BSU vs. St. Ambrose University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or St. Ambrose University ?

  • Saint Ambrose University is 306.5% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($35,318.00 vs. $8,688.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at St. Ambrose University than Ball State University ($35,318.00 vs. $26,696.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than St. Ambrose University ($13,017 vs. $23,578)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 2.4% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($12,064 vs. $12,348)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University than Ball State University (100% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Ambrose University students is 103.6% larger than aid received Ball State University ($26,559 vs. $13,046)

BSU vs. St. Ambrose University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 20 points higher than at St. Ambrose University (1050)
  • Incoming St. Ambrose University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • St. Ambrose University has a higher acceptance rate (73.3%) than BSU (71.6%)

BSU vs. St. Ambrose University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or St. Ambrose University ? 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 St. Ambrose University and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at St. Ambrose University is higher than Ball State University (62% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Saint Ambrose University earn on average $5,800 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $764 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,764)
  • BSU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($258 vs. $266)
  • More St. Ambrose University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 63%)

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