IPFW vs. BGSU

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

 IPFW BGSU
Location Fort Wayne, IN Bowling Green, OH
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,874 17,027
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #864 #687
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ipfw.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IPFW BGSU
Tuition (In State) $8,049 $11,611
Tuition (Out of State) $21,015 $19,600
Room & Board $10,332 $11,784
Avg Net Price $12,619 $20,987
Avg Grant Aid $6,589 $8,795
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

 IPFW BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,466 18,629
Admitted 5,539 15,016
Acceptance Rate 85.7% 80.6%
Enrolled % 24.9% 20.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/26
SAT Range 960/1190 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 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 IPFW BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 IPFW BGSU
Graduation Rate 26% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,600 $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $253 $268

Diversity

 IPFW BGSU
% Men 4% 7%
% Women 5% 11%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 78%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 IPFW BGSU
% In-State 83% 87%
% Out-of-State 13% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (17,027 students vs. 8,874 students)

IPFW vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IPFW or BGSU?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 44.3% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($11,611.00 vs. $8,049.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at IPFW than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($21,015.00 vs. $19,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than BGSU ($12,619 vs. $20,987)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 14.1% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,332 vs. $11,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bowling Green State University Main Campus students is 33.5% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($8,795 vs. $6,589)

IPFW vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bowling Green State University Main Campus (1012) is 17 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming IPFW students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at IPFW (3.37)
  • IPFW has a higher acceptance rate (85.7%) than BGSU (80.6%)

IPFW vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IPFW 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 IPFW.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (58% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $5,000 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $38,600)
  • Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($24,500 vs. $26,000)
  • IPFW graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($253 vs. $268)
  • More BGSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IPFW students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 51%)

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