BSU vs. Alma College

Should I go to Ball State University or Alma College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or Alma College 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Purdue North Central IU Purdue Indiana State IU Northwest IPFW IUPUI Ohio University Kent State GVSU Earlham NKU
Ball State University vs. Alma College comparison
Ball State University Alma College College 3 College 4
Ball State University Alma College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 BSU Alma College
Location Muncie, IN Alma, MI
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 19,777 1,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu alma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Alma College
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $45,346
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $45,346
Room & Board $10,904 $12,624
Avg Net Price $12,615 $23,995
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $34,736
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 BSU Alma College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 3,372
Admitted 15,761 2,180
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 64.7%
Enrolled % 22.1% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 BSU Alma College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 BSU Alma College
Graduation Rate 55% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

 BSU Alma College
% Men 35% 47%
% Women 65% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 83%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 BSU Alma College
% In-State 90% 90%
% Out-of-State 9% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Alma College based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 1,260 students)

BSU vs. Alma College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Alma College?

  • Alma College is 437.7% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75% higher at Alma College than Ball State University ($45,346.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Alma College ($12,615 vs. $23,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 15.8% lower than costs at Alma College ($10,904 vs. $12,624)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Alma College than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 204.2% larger than aid received Ball State University ($34,736 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. Alma College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Alma College (1110) is 40 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming Alma College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Alma College (3.5)
  • BSU has a higher acceptance rate (68.9%) than Alma College (64.7%)

BSU vs. Alma College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or Alma College? 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 Alma College and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at Alma College is higher than Ball State University (67% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Alma College 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 $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Alma College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Alma College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 63%)

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