BSU vs. WMU

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

BSU WMU
Location Muncie, IN Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 20,440 16,693
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #631
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BSU WMU
Tuition (In State) $8,688 $15,198
Tuition (Out of State) $26,696 $18,998
Room & Board $12,064 $11,713
Avg Net Price $13,017 $20,183
Avg Grant Aid $13,046 $8,217
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 91%

Admission

BSU WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,668 20,100
Admitted 20,525 17,020
Acceptance Rate 71.6% 84.7%
Enrolled % 18.6% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 20/27
SAT Range 1080/1250 990/1220
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 WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

BSU WMU
Graduation Rate 55% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $258 $275

Diversity

BSU WMU
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 21% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 72%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

BSU WMU
% In-State 90% 78%
% Out-of-State 9% 21%

Campus

BSU WMU
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 WMU based on total student enrollment (20,440 students vs. 16,693 students)

BSU vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or WMU?

  • Western Michigan University is 74.9% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($15,198.00 vs. $8,688.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.5% higher at BSU than Western Michigan University ($26,696.00 vs. $18,998.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than WMU ($13,017 vs. $20,183)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 3% lower than costs at Ball State University ($11,713 vs. $12,064)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than Ball State University (91% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 58.8% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($13,046 vs. $8,217)

BSU vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 40 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming BSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WMU (3.5)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than BSU (71.6%)

BSU vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than Ball State University (56% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $6,400 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $1,633 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,633)
  • BSU graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($258 vs. $275)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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