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GCU ASU U of A Purdue North Central IU Purdue Indiana State IU Northwest IPFW IUPUI Ohio University Kent State| Northern Arizona University | Ball State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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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 | ||
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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/