BSU vs. WSSU

Should I go to Ball State University or Winston Salem State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or WSSU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

North Carolina Central University NCAT Purdue North Central Fayetteville State University IU Purdue Indiana State UNCG IU Northwest IPFW IUPUI ECSU
Ball State University vs. Winston Salem State University comparison
Ball State University Winston Salem State University College 3 College 4
Ball State University Winston Salem State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 BSU WSSU
Location Muncie, IN Winston-Salem, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 19,777 5,004
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #956
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu wssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU WSSU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $3,401
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $14,057
Room & Board $10,904 $11,220
Avg Net Price $12,615 $14,097
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $8,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 86%

Admission

 BSU WSSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 7,628
Admitted 15,761 5,598
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 73.4%
Enrolled % 22.1% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.01
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/28 14/19
SAT Range 1090/1260 830/1050
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 Feb 15, 2024

Academics

 BSU WSSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 BSU WSSU
Graduation Rate 55% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $35,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,663
Median Loan Payment $258 $265

Diversity

 BSU WSSU
% Men 35% 24%
% Women 65% 76%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 81% 16%
% Black 8% 72%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 BSU WSSU
% In-State 90% 82%
% Out-of-State 9% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than WSSU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 5,004 students)

BSU vs. WSSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or WSSU?

  • Ball State University is 148% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.4% higher at BSU than Winston Salem State University ($25,918.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than WSSU ($12,615 vs. $14,097)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 2.9% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($10,904 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Winston Salem State University (97% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 36.7% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($11,418 vs. $8,350)

BSU vs. WSSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 200 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming BSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • WSSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. WSSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Winston Salem State University (55% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $6,800 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $35,700)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $663 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,663)
  • BSU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($258 vs. $265)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 33%)

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