Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Ball State University is a public national university located in Muncie, Indiana. Ball State University is moderately inclusive in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Ball State University is in the top 50% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $45,934 10 years after enrolling, 25th in Indiana, and in the bottom 50% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Ball State University bachelor students earn 2% less than the national average. Ball State University is ranked 11th in Indiana.
Ball State University’s median net annual cost of $14,765 and average years to graduate of 4.4 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at Ball State University sorted by number of graduates - Liberal Arts and Sciences, Broadcast & Digital Comms, Education, Business and Commerce, Psychology, Registered Nursing - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$14,765
Average years to graduate
4.4
Accounting
Rank: #128
Economic score: 1.95
Advertising & PR
Rank: #25
Economic score: 3.21
Marketing
Rank: #177
Economic score: 3.37
Criminal Justice
Rank: #109
Economic score: 3.56
Health & Fitness
Rank: #76
Economic score: 4.01
Education (subject specific)
Rank: #87
Economic score: 4.13
Comms & Media Studies
Rank: #260
Economic score: 5.82
Social Work
Rank: #140
Economic score: 6.04
Fine & Studio Arts
Rank: #81
Economic score: 6.39
Biology
Rank: #424
Economic score: 9.92
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 6 graduate programs at Ball State University - Special Education, Clinical / Counseling Psych, Educ. Administration, Education, Business and Commerce, Registered Nursing - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Computer Systems Analysis
Rank: #5
Economic score: 0.25
Accounting
Rank: #78
Economic score: 0.25
Education (subject specific)
Rank: #75
Economic score: 0.42
Dietetics/Nutrition
Rank: #7
Economic score: 0.49
Student Counseling
Rank: #37
Economic score: 0.53
Communication disorder sciences
Rank: #31
Economic score: 0.54
Architecture
Rank: #9
Economic score: 0.57
Broadcast & Digital Comms
Rank: #6
Economic score: 0.85
Health & Fitness
Rank: #123
Economic score: 0.87
Music
Rank: #88
Economic score: 2.01
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.4 years. 66% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Ball State University is 7% higher than the state average, and 1% below the average for all national universities in the country.
At Ball State University, Pell Grant recipients represent 34% of the measured graduating class, 1% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Ball State University graduates within 4.4 years.
Ball State University is in the top 50% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Ball State University’s economic mobility score of 25.13 is calculated by adjusting the 2.23 economic score of lower-income students by the 34% pell grant recipients within the student body. Ball State University’s EMS of 25.13 ranks in the top 25% nationally.false
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Top 25%
The average Title IV recipient at Ball State University pays $14,765 a year, $10,235 less than the $25,000 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $14,765
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Ball State University, 86% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $14,765 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 88% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $7,026. This is 34% more than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,451
Pell grants
$5,313
State grants
$7,451
Institutional grants
$7,291
Ball State University offers 7 online bachelor programs, all of which are held exclusively online. At the master’s level Ball State University offers 24 programs, 21 of which are held exclusively online. We use the IPEDS July '20 — July '21 Distance Education report to determine which programs are online. EarningsPlus data is provided when available.
Online programs
31
Hybrid programs
3
Percentage of programs online
14%
Ball State University's moderately inclusive admissions are indicated by their 68% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 22,947 applicants, of which 15,642 were admitted and 3,278 enrolled. Ball State University doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
94%
83%
Female
60%
59%
First time
78%
59%
In-state
90%
68%
1st generation
28%
35%
White
76%
52%
Black
10%
14%
Hispanic
7%
15%
Asian
2%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
6%
12%