NAU vs. BSU

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

NAU BSU
Location Flagstaff, AZ Muncie, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 28,086 19,777
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nau.edu bsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NAU BSU
Tuition (In State) $11,024 $8,434
Tuition (Out of State) $26,286 $25,918
Room & Board $11,728 $10,904
Avg Net Price $17,115 $12,615
Avg Grant Aid $11,865 $11,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

NAU BSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 44,855 22,859
Admitted 35,881 15,761
Acceptance Rate 80% 68.9%
Enrolled % 15.5% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.52
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1260
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

NAU BSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

NAU BSU
Graduation Rate 52% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $206 $258

Diversity

NAU BSU
% Men 37% 35%
% Women 63% 65%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 81%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 22% 4%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NAU BSU
% In-State 73% 90%
% Out-of-State 26% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Arizona University is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (28,086 students vs. 19,777 students)

NAU vs. BSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NAU or BSU?

  • Northern Arizona University is 30.7% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($11,024.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at NAU than Ball State University ($26,286.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than NAU ($12,615 vs. $17,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 7.6% lower than costs at Northern Arizona University ($10,904 vs. $11,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Arizona University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Arizona University students is 3.9% larger than aid received Ball State University ($11,865 vs. $11,418)

NAU vs. BSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman NAU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • NAU has a higher acceptance rate (80%) than BSU (68.9%)

NAU vs. BSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Northern Arizona University (55% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Northern Arizona University earn on average $1,400 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $42,500)
  • Northern Arizona University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $25,000)
  • NAU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($206 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NAU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 55%)

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