BSU vs. Valpo

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

 BSU Valpo
Location Muncie, IN Valparaiso, IN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,777 2,958
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #313
Religious Affiliation - Lutheran Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu valpo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Valpo
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $43,400
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $43,400
Room & Board $10,904 $13,180
Avg Net Price $12,615 $22,755
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $34,706
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 BSU Valpo
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 6,842
Admitted 15,761 6,442
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 94.2%
Enrolled % 22.1% 9.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 27/30
SAT Range 1090/1260 1140/1360
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 Valpo
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 BSU Valpo
Graduation Rate 55% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

 BSU Valpo
% Men 35% 45%
% Women 65% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 72%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 BSU Valpo
% In-State 90% 48%
% Out-of-State 9% 49%

Campus

 BSU Valpo
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 Valpo based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 2,958 students)

BSU vs. Valpo Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Valpo?

  • Valparaiso University is 414.6% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($43,400.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.5% higher at Valpo than Ball State University ($43,400.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Valpo ($12,615 vs. $22,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 20.9% lower than costs at Valparaiso University ($10,904 vs. $13,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Valparaiso University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Valparaiso University students is 204% larger than aid received Ball State University ($34,706 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. Valpo Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Valparaiso University (1159) is 89 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming Valpo students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Valpo students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Valpo has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Valpo Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Valpo is higher than Ball State University (71% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Valparaiso University earn on average $11,500 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Valpo graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Valpo graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Valpo 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/