Butler vs. Drake

Deciding between Butler University and Drake University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Butler University
Drake University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Butler Indianapolis, IN
  • Drake Des Moines, IA
  • Setting
  • Butler Large City
  • Drake Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Butler 5,746
  • Drake 4,345
  • Type
  • Butler Private 4 Year
  • Drake Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Butler #209
  • Drake #160
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Butler -
  • Drake -
  • Status
  • Butler Non-profit
  • Drake Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Butler
  • Drake

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Butler $47,560
  • Drake $52,130
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Butler $47,560
  • Drake $52,130
  • Room & Board
  • Butler $16,430
  • Drake $12,452
  • Average Net Price
  • Butler $38,438
  • Drake $29,565
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Butler $27,790
  • Drake $35,498
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Butler 97%
  • Drake 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Butler 9,471
  • Drake 9,873
  • Admitted
  • Butler 8,058
  • Drake 6,304
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Butler 85.1%
  • Drake 63.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Butler 12.9%
  • Drake 9.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Butler 1260
  • Drake 1230
  • Typical ACT score
  • Butler 28
  • Drake 26
  • Average High School GPA
  • Butler 3.92
  • Drake 3.7
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Butler A
  • Drake A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Butler Difficult
  • Drake Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Butler
  • Drake Low
  • ACT Range
  • Butler 26/31
  • Drake 24/29
  • SAT Range
  • Butler 1160/1350
  • Drake 1110/1350
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Butler Test optional
  • Drake Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Butler Aug 1, 2027
  • Drake

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Butler 11:1
  • Drake 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Butler
    • Business (17%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Communication (9%)
  • Drake
    • Business (39%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Biology (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Butler 72%
  • Drake 75%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Butler $68,400
  • Drake $68,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Butler 84%
  • Drake 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Butler $27,000
  • Drake $26,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Butler $279
  • Drake $268

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Butler 38%
  • Drake 38%
  • % Women
  • Butler 62%
  • Drake 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Butler Very Low
  • Drake Low
  • HBCU
  • Butler No
  • Drake No
  • % White
  • Butler 82%
  • Drake 79%
  • % Asian
  • Butler 3%
  • Drake 3%
  • % Black
  • Butler 4%
  • Drake 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Butler 4%
  • Drake 4%
  • % Native American
  • Butler 0%
  • Drake 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Butler 0%
  • Drake 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Butler 2%
  • Drake 2%
  • % International
  • Butler 1%
  • Drake 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Butler 4%
  • Drake 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Butler 51%
  • Drake 44%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Butler 48%
  • Drake 51%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Butler Yes
  • Drake Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Butler Yes
  • Drake No
  • Meal Plan
  • Butler Yes
  • Drake Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Butler No
  • Drake No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Butler No
  • Drake No

Comparable Facts

Compare Butler University in Indianapolis, IN with Drake University in Des Moines, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Butler University is larger than Drake based on total student enrollment (5,746 students vs. 4,345 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Butler University is located in Indianapolis, IN (Large City setting); Drake University is in Des Moines, IA (Midsize City setting).
  • Butler University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Drake University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Butler University 11:1; Drake University 11:1.

Butler vs. Drake Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butler or Drake? 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 Drake University than Butler ($29,565 vs. $38,438).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 24.2% lower than at Butler University ($12,452 vs. $16,430).
  • Drake University is 9.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Butler (about $4,570 more per year; $52,130.00 vs. $47,560.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.6% higher at Drake than at Butler University (about $4,570 more per year; $52,130.00 vs. $47,560.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Drake University than at Butler University (100% vs. 97%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 27.7% larger than aid received by Butler University students ($35,498 vs. $27,790).

Butler vs. Drake Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butler or Drake? 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 Drake and Butler.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Butler University (1260) is 30 points higher than at Drake (1230).
  • Incoming Butler students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 26 at Drake).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Butler University 1160/1350; Drake University 1110/1350.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Butler University 26/31; Drake University 24/29.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butler - Test optional; Drake - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Butler Aug 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Butler students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Drake (3.7).
  • Butler has a higher acceptance rate (85.1%) than Drake (63.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.9% at Butler vs. 9.8% at Drake.

Butler vs. Drake Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butler and Drake? 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).

  • Drake University's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than Butler University's (72%).
  • Graduates from Drake University earn a median of about $100 more per year than Butler graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,500 vs. $68,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Drake University graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Butler graduates ($26,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Drake graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butler graduates ($268 vs. $279).
  • More Butler graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Drake students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 84%)

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.