IU East vs. BGSU

Should I go to Indiana University East or Bowling Green State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU East or BGSU 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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Indiana University East vs. Bowling Green State University Main Campus comparison
Indiana University East Bowling Green State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus
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Overview

 IU East BGSU
Location Richmond, IN Bowling Green, OH
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 2,985 17,027
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #876 #687
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iue.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU East BGSU
Tuition (In State) $7,492 $11,611
Tuition (Out of State) $21,356 $19,600
Room & Board $10,244 $11,784
Avg Net Price $9,484 $20,987
Avg Grant Aid $7,602 $8,795
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 94%

Admission

 IU East BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,749 18,629
Admitted 1,246 15,016
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 80.6%
Enrolled % 27% 20.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 20/26
SAT Range 1010/1220 1020/1230
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 18, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 IU East BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 IU East BGSU
Graduation Rate 19% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,900 $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $268

Diversity

 IU East BGSU
% Men 3% 7%
% Women 5% 11%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 78%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 IU East BGSU
% In-State 79% 87%
% Out-of-State 20% 12%

Campus

 IU East BGSU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than IU East based on total student enrollment (17,027 students vs. 2,985 students)

IU East vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU East or BGSU?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 55% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($11,611.00 vs. $7,492.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9% higher at IU East than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($21,356.00 vs. $19,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than BGSU ($9,484 vs. $20,987)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 15% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,244 vs. $11,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than Indiana University East (94% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bowling Green State University Main Campus students is 15.7% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($8,795 vs. $7,602)

IU East vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bowling Green State University Main Campus (1012) is 51 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming BGSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at IU East (3.41)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than IU East (71.2%)

IU East vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU East or BGSU? 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 BGSU and IU East.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Indiana University East (58% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $10,700 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,000)
  • IU East graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($211 vs. $268)
  • More BGSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 40%)

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