BSU vs. CU

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

BSU CU
Location Muncie, IN Lebanon, TN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 19,777 2,588
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu cumberland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BSU CU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $25,200
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $25,200
Room & Board $10,904 $8,990
Avg Net Price $12,615 $18,528
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $22,145
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

BSU CU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 2,137
Admitted 15,761 1,415
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 66.2%
Enrolled % 22.1% 44.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.3
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 CU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)

Outcomes

BSU CU
Graduation Rate 55% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $39,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,729
Median Loan Payment $258 $224

Diversity

BSU CU
% Men 35% 42%
% Women 65% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 63%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 16%

Students

BSU CU
% In-State 90% 88%
% Out-of-State 9% 8%

Campus

BSU CU
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 CU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 2,588 students)

BSU vs. CU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or CU?

  • Cumberland University is 198.8% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($25,200.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at BSU than Cumberland University ($25,918.00 vs. $25,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than CU ($12,615 vs. $18,528)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cumberland University are 21.3% lower than costs at Ball State University ($8,990 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cumberland University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 93.9% larger than aid received Ball State University ($22,145 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. CU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 81 points higher than at CU (989)
  • Incoming BSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at CU (21)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at CU (3.3)
  • BSU has a higher acceptance rate (68.9%) than CU (66.2%)

BSU vs. CU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Cumberland University (55% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $2,600 more per year than CU graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $39,900)
  • Cumberland University students graduate with a $3,271 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($21,729 vs. $25,000)
  • CU graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($224 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 60%)

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