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Ball State University (BSU) is a large, public university in Muncie, Indiana. The university, one of Indiana's best, boasts over 15,000 undergraduate and close to 6,000 graduate students who can choose degrees from one of seven academic colleges. Though primarily a four-year institution, students can opt for an associate degree and a handful of non-degree programs such as Pre-Law, Pre-Optometry, and Pre-Physician's Assistant. There are even programs that help student graduate with a bachelor's degree in a mere three years.


Overview of Ball State University (BSU)


Campus life at Ball State University is a rich and rewarding experience. It's these outside activities that sometimes make the college experience so meaningful. Not only does the campus offer students dining choices that are the envy of higher education, but there are social and recreational activities galore.

The Ball State campus supports Greek life for over 2,000 students and recreation services provide ample opportunities to work out, play, and learn new sports. Students who need a touch of competition in their lives will enjoy playing one of many sports that range in activity level. The more athletic may choose soccer or volleyball, while the recreationally inclined may prefer the pace of cornhole. In fact, those who don't even like to get off the couch can compete in e-Sports with games such as Madden, NHL, and FIFA.

General Information


School Type Public
Campus Setting City: Small
Campus Housing Yes
Student Faculty Ratio 14:1
Graduation Rate 67%
Year Founded 1918

Student Enrollment


Total Students22,443

Undergraduate
16,702
Graduate
5,741

Undergraduate Student

Male 6,681
6,681
Female 10,021
10,021

Graduate Student

Male 2,296
2,296
Female 3,445
3,445

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BSU Acceptance Rate and Admissions


APPLICANTS23,305

Male 8,045
Female 15,260

ACCEPTANCE17,945

Male 5,953
Female 11,903

Acceptance Rate77%

Male 74%
Female 78%

Enrollment 4,127

Male 1,587
Female 2,540
Admissions
Application Fee $60
High School GPA Required
High School Rank N/A
High School Transcripts Required
College Prep Courses Required
Recommendations Recommended
SAT/ACT Recommended
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Recommended
Application Deadline August 10
Common Application Accepted No

BSU Tuition Cost & Financial Aid


Ball State University is a public institution that is subsidized by Indiana's tax revenue. Thus, Indiana residents see lower costs for tuition than those who come to Muncie from out of state. Indiana residents pay a frugal $10,000 for a year of college classes while out-of-state students pay over $27,000. On top of that, student living expenses are around $13,000 for both on- and off-campus living. Thus, the annual gross cost for an Indiana resident is $25,000, while non-residents pay nearly $42,000. However, once the financial aid office does its work, the net price falls significantly.

After grants and scholarships, Ball State University undergraduate students pay an average net price of $13,000, including all living expenses. Lower earning households pay around $8,000 for a year at BSU and households that earn over $110,000 pay a mere $22,000 for the outstanding academics and campus resources at Muncie's Ball State.

Average net price 2019-2020
Net Price $13,195
Students Receiving Financial Aid 91%
Grants or Scholarships Aid 76%
Room & Board $10,870

Sticker Price


  • Tuition In-State - $10,020
  • Tuition Out-of-State - $26,800
  • Books and Supplies - $1,384
  • Room & Board - $10,870
  • Other - $2,688

Academics


Ball State University is one of the best known colleges and universities in the entire Midwest. While it's mostly known for outstanding athletics, BSU is also held in high esteem for its academic programs. To verify Ball State's academic reputation, researchers evaluate the school's academic statistics, starting with their retention rate.

The retention rate is a metric that measures how many first-time, full-time students return to campus for a second year. When students return for a second year, it's assumed that they have found Ball State to provide outstanding faculty, curriculum, and campus resources. In this category, Ball State shines, posting an 80% retention rate. On top of that, BSU has an overall graduation rate of 67% coupled with a transfer rate of 23%. Transfer students typically move on to more competitive schools or to programs that offer something Ball State does not. Thus, it's assumed that transfer students capitalize on their Ball State background and graduate, raising the likely graduation rate of their students to around 90%.

These stellar figures can be attributed to many things, but researchers often point to Ball State's student-to-faculty ratio. Students see an average, overall class size with 14 students to every one faculty member.

Student Population Total


Student Population 22,443

Undergraduate
16,702
Graduate
5,741
Evening Classes : Yes
Online Learning : Yes

Most Popular Programs & Majors

(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)


All Business Majors 690 Total Graduates / 21%
Business/Commerce, General 160 Graduates
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 112 Graduates
Finance, General 83 Graduates
Accounting 81 Graduates
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs 397 Total Graduates / 12%
Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 177 Graduates
Journalism 68 Graduates
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 62 Graduates
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 60 Graduates
All Education Majors 358 Total Graduates / 11%
Elementary Education and Teaching 133 Graduates
Early Childhood Education and Teaching 59 Graduates
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Elementary Special Education Programs 34 Graduates
Music Teacher Education 26 Graduates
All Health Professions and Related Programs Majors 280 Total Graduates / 8%
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 111 Graduates
Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 55 Graduates
Health and Wellness, General 26 Graduates
Nursing Practice 26 Graduates
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 249 Total Graduates / 7%
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 249 Graduates
All Other Diplomas 41%

Outcome & Salary


Students may appreciate the top-notch academics at Ball State, but they also want to know that they'll see a healthy return on their educational investment. While there are no guarantees of a salary or a job after graduation, alumni do report back with their earnings. Of the top five degrees that offer excellent earnings, Ball State's sales, merchandising, and marketing students top the list with median entry-level earnings of $69,000. The rest of the list is dominated with other students from Ball State's business school. Management sciences, for example, comes in third place with median earnings of $64,000. The fifth highest earning Ball State major is the registered nursing bachelor's degree students, who report median earnings of $56,000.

Graduates Salary
College Grads Early Career Salary $46,700
College Grads Average Salary $60,068
College Grads Mid Career Salary $82,700
Return on Investment (ROI)
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential $600,680
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential $1,427,680
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year $54,132
10 Year Projected ROI $546,548
20 Year Projected ROI $1,373,548
No College Education Salary Comparison
National Average Salary $38,792
10 Year Projected Income $387,920
20 Year Projected Income $775,840

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