Ball State University
Muncie, IN2000 University Ave, Muncie, IN 47306
765-289-1241
Ball State University, located in Muncie, Indiana, is a public research university with an enrollment of over 22,000 students. Founded in 1918 as a teachers college, Ball State has since evolved into a comprehensive university offering more than 190 undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is home to eight colleges: Applied Sciences, Business, Communication, Information, and Media; Education; Health; Music, Theatre, and Dance; and Sciences and Humanities. Ball State is a member of the Association of American Universities and the Midwestern Association of Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Ball State is ranked among the nation's top 100 public universities by U.S. News & World Report and is designated a "Best Midwestern College" by The Princeton Review. The university is also recognized as a top-tier research institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Ball State's campus covers more than 1,000 acres and includes over 100 buildings. The university's athletic teams, known as the Cardinals, compete in the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference.
Ball State was founded in 1918 as the Indiana Normal Institute by the Indiana General Assembly. The legislature established the school "for the purpose of developing skilled teachers for the common schools of Indiana." The school's first class consisted of just over 300 students and 50 faculty members. In 1922, the school's name was changed to Ball State Teachers College in honor of its founder, John Ball. The college continued to grow in the 1920s, adding new programs and buildings to its campus.
In 1929, the Ball Brothers Foundation donated $3 million to the college, which was used to construct a new library and gymnasium. The Great Depression and World War II brought challenges to the college, but it continued to operate and even expanded its programs. In 1961, the school's name was changed to Ball State University, signifying its growth into a comprehensive institution.
The 1960s and 1970s were a time of great growth for the university. Enrollment nearly doubled, new academic programs were added, and the campus expanded. In recent years, Ball State has continued to grow, adding new academic programs and facilities. The university has also made a commitment to sustainability, with a goal of becoming a carbon-neutral campus by 2030.
Ball State is a comprehensive university offering more than 190 undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is home to eight colleges: Applied Sciences, Business, Communication, Information, and Media; Education; Health; Music, Theatre, and Dance; and Sciences and Humanities. Ball State is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is ranked among the nation's top 100 public universities by U.S. News & World Report.
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 21597
Acceptance Rate: 87.05%
Type: Public, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.bsu.edu/
Financial Aid: https://www.bsu.edu/finaid
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $25000
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $41988
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at Ball State University is $95401.66. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at Ball State University. For graduates of Ball State University, we saw an average early-career income of $40800.00 and mid-career income of $58500.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.