BSU vs. ETSU

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

 BSU ETSU
Location Muncie, IN Johnson City, TN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,777 13,483
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #652
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU ETSU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $11,532
Room & Board $10,904 $9,613
Avg Net Price $12,615 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 BSU ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 9,609
Admitted 15,761 8,193
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 85.3%
Enrolled % 22.1% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 19/26
SAT Range 1090/1260 980/1190
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 ETSU
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 (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 BSU ETSU
Graduation Rate 55% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $211

Diversity

 BSU ETSU
% Men 35% 37%
% Women 65% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 82%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU ETSU
% In-State 90% 75%
% Out-of-State 9% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 13,483 students)

BSU vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or ETSU?

  • Ball State University is 9.2% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 124.7% higher at BSU than East Tennessee State University ($25,918.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than ETSU ($12,615 vs. $14,350)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 13.4% lower than costs at Ball State University ($9,613 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 30.7% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($11,418 vs. $8,739)

BSU vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 2 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than East Tennessee State University (55% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $2,500 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,000)
  • ETSU 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 ETSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 50%)

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