BSU vs. St. Ambrose University

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

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Location Muncie, IN Davenport, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,777 2,747
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #402
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu sau.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $34,290
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $34,290
Room & Board $10,904 $11,988
Avg Net Price $12,615 $23,359
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $25,476
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 3,589
Admitted 15,761 2,653
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 73.9%
Enrolled % 22.1% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/28 20/27
SAT Range 1090/1260 1020/1240
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

Academics

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Graduation Rate 55% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,764
Median Loan Payment $258 $266

Diversity

 BSU St. Ambrose University
% Men 35% 42%
% Women 65% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 80%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 BSU St. Ambrose University
% In-State 90% 33%
% Out-of-State 9% 64%

Campus

 BSU St. Ambrose University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 2,747 students)

BSU vs. St. Ambrose University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or St. Ambrose University ?

  • Saint Ambrose University is 306.6% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($34,290.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at St. Ambrose University than Ball State University ($34,290.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than St. Ambrose University ($12,615 vs. $23,359)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 9.9% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($10,904 vs. $11,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Ambrose University students is 123.1% larger than aid received Ball State University ($25,476 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. St. Ambrose University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 20 points higher than at St. Ambrose University (1050)
  • Incoming St. Ambrose University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • St. Ambrose University has a higher acceptance rate (73.9%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. St. Ambrose University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or St. Ambrose University ? 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 St. Ambrose University and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at St. Ambrose University is higher than Ball State University (62% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Saint Ambrose University earn on average $5,800 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $764 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,764)
  • BSU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($258 vs. $266)
  • More St. Ambrose University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 63%)

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