BSU vs. Portland State University

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

BSU Portland State University
Location Muncie, IN Portland, OR
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,777 21,609
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #730
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu pdx.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BSU Portland State University
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $9,000
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $27,900
Room & Board $10,904 $14,940
Avg Net Price $12,615 $16,273
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $9,750
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 86%

Admission

BSU Portland State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 7,926
Admitted 15,761 7,378
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 93.1%
Enrolled % 22.1% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 17/24
SAT Range 1090/1260 1000/1250
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 Portland State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

BSU Portland State University
Graduation Rate 55% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,634
Median Loan Payment $258 $234

Diversity

BSU Portland State University
% Men 35% 42%
% Women 65% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 59%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 12%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

BSU Portland State University
% In-State 90% 78%
% Out-of-State 9% 20%

Campus

BSU Portland State University
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

  • Portland State University is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (21,609 students vs. 19,777 students)

BSU vs. Portland State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Portland State University?

  • Portland State University is 6.7% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($9,000.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.6% higher at Portland State University than Ball State University ($27,900.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Portland State University ($12,615 vs. $16,273)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 37% lower than costs at Portland State University ($10,904 vs. $14,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Portland State University (97% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 17.1% larger than aid received Portland State University ($11,418 vs. $9,750)

BSU vs. Portland State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 31 points higher than at Portland State University (1039)
  • Incoming BSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Portland State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Portland State University (3.36)
  • Portland State University has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Portland State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or Portland State 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 Portland State University and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Portland State University (55% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Portland State University earn on average $6,100 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $42,500)
  • Portland State University students graduate with a $2,366 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($22,634 vs. $25,000)
  • Portland State University graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($234 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Portland State University 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/