BSU vs. WVU

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

 BSU WVU
Location Muncie, IN Morgantown, WV
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,777 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU WVU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $26,568
Room & Board $10,904 $11,618
Avg Net Price $12,615 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 94%

Admission

 BSU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 18,206
Admitted 15,761 16,091
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 88.4%
Enrolled % 22.1% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 20/26
SAT Range 1090/1260 1000/1220
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

Academics

 BSU WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU WVU
Graduation Rate 55% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $258 $248

Diversity

 BSU WVU
% Men 35% 47%
% Women 65% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 81%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 BSU WVU
% In-State 90% 42%
% Out-of-State 9% 57%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 19,777 students)

BSU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or WVU?

  • West Virginia University is 11% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($9,360.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at WVU than Ball State University ($26,568.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than BSU ($12,202 vs. $12,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 6.5% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($10,904 vs. $11,618)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than West Virginia University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 2.3% larger than aid received Ball State University ($11,685 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 8 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WVU (3.45)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than Ball State University (57% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $8,100 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $42,500)
  • West Virginia University students graduate with a $999 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($24,001 vs. $25,000)
  • WVU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WVU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 59%)

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