BSU vs. St. Mary's College

Comparable Facts

Compare Ball State University in Muncie, IN with Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Ball State University is larger than St. Mary's College based on total student enrollment (21,089 students vs. 1,601 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Ball State University is located in Muncie, IN (Small City setting); Saint Mary's College is in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting).
• Ball State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Mary's College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Ball State University 14:1; Saint Mary's College 9:1.

BSU vs. St. Mary's College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or St. Mary's College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than St. Mary's College ($13,599 vs. $27,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 13.5% lower than at Saint Mary's College ($12,334 vs. $14,260).
• Saint Mary's College is 380.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than BSU (about $42,148 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $11,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 79.6% higher at St. Mary's College than at Ball State University (about $23,600 more per year; $53,230.00 vs. $29,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College than at Ball State University (100% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College students is 193.1% larger than aid received by Ball State University students ($38,748 vs. $13,218).

BSU vs. St. Mary's College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BSU or St. Mary's College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between St. Mary's College and BSU.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College (1230) is 60 points higher than at BSU (1170).
• Incoming St. Mary's College students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 22 at BSU).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ball State University 1080/1260; Saint Mary's College 1130/1325.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ball State University 20/24; Saint Mary's College 26/30.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BSU - Test optional; St. Mary's College - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's College students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at BSU (3.52).
• BSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.5%) than St. Mary's College (76%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.4% at BSU vs. 20.1% at St. Mary's College.

BSU vs. St. Mary's College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BSU and St. Mary's College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Saint Mary's College's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Ball State University's (55%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College earn a median of about $8,600 more per year than BSU graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,100 vs. $42,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Ball State University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than St. Mary's College graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, BSU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St. Mary's College graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More St. Mary's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.