BSU vs. WSU

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

BSU WSU
Location Muncie, IN Wichita, KS
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,777 16,216
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #700
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu wichita.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BSU WSU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $6,848
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $16,208
Room & Board $10,904 $12,610
Avg Net Price $12,615 $13,553
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $7,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 79%

Admission

BSU WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 8,899
Admitted 15,761 8,441
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 94.9%
Enrolled % 22.1% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 19/26
SAT Range 1090/1260 953/1260
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 WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

BSU WSU
Graduation Rate 55% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $211

Diversity

BSU WSU
% Men 35% 45%
% Women 65% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 63%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

BSU WSU
% In-State 90% 76%
% Out-of-State 9% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 16,216 students)

BSU vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or WSU?

  • Ball State University is 23.2% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $6,848.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.9% higher at BSU than Wichita State University ($25,918.00 vs. $16,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than WSU ($12,615 vs. $13,553)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 15.6% lower than costs at Wichita State University ($10,904 vs. $12,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Wichita State University (97% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 60.6% larger than aid received Wichita State University ($11,418 vs. $7,110)

BSU vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wichita State University (1089) is 19 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WSU (3.48)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Wichita State University (55% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Wichita State University earn on average $1,300 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($43,800 vs. $42,500)
  • Wichita State University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($211 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU 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/