IU East vs. SAU

Should I go to Indiana University East or Spring Arbor University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU East or SAU 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. Spring Arbor University comparison
Indiana University East Spring Arbor University College 3 College 4
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Overview

 IU East SAU
Location Richmond, IN Spring Arbor, MI
Setting Rural Fringe Small Suburban
Enrollment 2,985 2,390
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #876 #553
Religious Affiliation - Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iue.edu arbor.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU East SAU
Tuition (In State) $7,492 $31,940
Tuition (Out of State) $21,356 $31,940
Room & Board $10,244 $10,960
Avg Net Price $9,484 $21,720
Avg Grant Aid $7,602 $21,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

 IU East SAU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,749 3,145
Admitted 1,246 1,174
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 37.3%
Enrolled % 27% 17.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 20/25 17/25
SAT Range 1010/1220 935/1165
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, 2026

Academics

 IU East SAU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

 IU East SAU
Graduation Rate 19% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,900 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $24,043
Median Loan Payment $211 $248

Diversity

 IU East SAU
% Men 3% 7%
% Women 5% 48%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 77%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 IU East SAU
% In-State 79% 82%
% Out-of-State 20% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University East is larger than than SAU based on total student enrollment (2,985 students vs. 2,390 students)

IU East vs. SAU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU East or SAU?

  • Spring Arbor University is 326.3% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($31,940.00 vs. $7,492.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.6% higher at SAU than Indiana University East ($31,940.00 vs. $21,356.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than SAU ($9,484 vs. $21,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 7% lower than costs at Spring Arbor University ($10,244 vs. $10,960)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than Indiana University East (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is 183.1% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($21,522 vs. $7,602)

IU East vs. SAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 112 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at IU East (3.41)
  • IU East has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than SAU (37.3%)

IU East vs. SAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than Indiana University East (56% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Spring Arbor University earn on average $9,700 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $3,543 lower median federal student loan debt than SAU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,043)
  • IU East graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than SAU graduates. ($211 vs. $248)
  • More SAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 40%)

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