Bradley vs. BSU

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

Marquette University Butler Loyola Purdue North Central IU Illinois Augustana ISU IWU Northern Illinois Valpo Purdue
Bradley University vs. Ball State University comparison
Bradley University Ball State University College 3 College 4
Bradley University Ball State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Bradley BSU
Location Peoria, IL Muncie, IN
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 5,552 19,777
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #231 #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bradley.edu bsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bradley BSU
Tuition (In State) $37,380 $8,434
Tuition (Out of State) $37,380 $25,918
Room & Board $12,196 $10,904
Avg Net Price $24,053 $12,615
Avg Grant Aid $26,693 $11,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Bradley BSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,352 22,859
Admitted 8,530 15,761
Acceptance Rate 75.1% 68.9%
Enrolled % 12.1% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.52
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 23/28
SAT Range 1050/1280 1090/1260
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

Bradley BSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

Bradley BSU
Graduation Rate 75% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,800 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Bradley BSU
% Men 45% 35%
% Women 55% 65%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 81%
% Black 5% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 20% 1%

Students

Bradley BSU
% In-State 87% 90%
% Out-of-State 12% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Bradley based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 5,552 students)

Bradley vs. BSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bradley or BSU?

  • Bradley University is 343.2% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($37,380.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.2% higher at Bradley than Ball State University ($37,380.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Bradley ($12,615 vs. $24,053)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 11.8% lower than costs at Bradley University ($10,904 vs. $12,196)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bradley University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bradley University students is 133.8% larger than aid received Ball State University ($26,693 vs. $11,418)

Bradley vs. BSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bradley University (1163) is 93 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming Bradley students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Bradley students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Bradley has a higher acceptance rate (75.1%) than BSU (68.9%)

Bradley vs. BSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Bradley is higher than Ball State University (75% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Bradley University earn on average $14,300 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($56,800 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Bradley graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Bradley graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Bradley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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