Ball State University

www.bsu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,628

1.54% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$12,968

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.97%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

68.2%

22,947 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

20,319

70.2% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

68.1%

2,374 Graduates

About

Ball State University is a higher education institution located in Delaware County, IN. In 2021, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Ball State University were Education of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities (1,230 degrees awarded), General Special Education & Teaching (139 degrees), and General Educational Leadership & Administration (92 degrees).

In 2021, 6,756 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Ball State University. 69.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 30.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (5,205 degrees), 10.8 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (481 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Ball State University is $9,628, which is $−19,364 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Daniel Hartwig

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Ball State University is $9,628, which is $−19,364 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $12,968.

In 2021, 81% of undergraduate students attending Ball State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 77% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,628

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Ball State University was $9,628. The cost of tuition at Ball State University is $−19,364 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Ball State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$12,968

2021 Value

1.72%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Ball State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $12,968. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Ball State University grew by 1.72%.

This chart compares the average net price of Ball State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,796

Room and Board

$1,350

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Ball State University was of $10,796 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 0.878% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,350. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 2.46% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Ball State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

81%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

77%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

81% of undergraduate students at Ball State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 17.4% with respect to 2020, when 69% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Ball State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.97%

2019 Default Rate

109

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Ball State University was 1.97%, which represents 109 out of the 5539 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Ball State University received 22,947 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 13.8% annual growth. Out of those 22,947 applicants, 15,642 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 68.2% acceptance rate.

There were 20,319 students enrolled at Ball State University in 2021. 42% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Ball State University has an overall enrollment yield of 21%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

68.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

15,642

Accepted Out of 22,947

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Ball State University was 68.2% (15,642 admissions from 22,947 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 87%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 13.8%, while admissions declined by −10.9%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Ball State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

42%

Submission Percentage (2021)

1,367

Scores Submitted (2021)

42% of enrolled first-time students at Ball State University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Ball State University had a total enrollment of 20,319 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Ball State University is 14,259 students and the part-time enrollment is 6,060. This means that 70.2% of students enrolled at Ball State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Ball State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 75.2% White, 8.76% Black or African American, 7.15% Hispanic or Latino, 3.58% Two or More Races, 2.13% Asian, 0.133% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0935% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Ball State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (46.3%), followed by White Male (29.7%) and Black or African American Female (6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (49.8%), followed by White Male (18.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.4%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

70.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Ball State University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 20,319 students. The full-time enrollment at Ball State University is 14,259 and the part-time enrollment is 6,060. This means that 70.2% of students enrolled at Ball State University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Ball State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

73%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Ball State University was 73%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Ball State University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Ball State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
15,287 enrolled students
Black or African American
1,780 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,453 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Ball State University is 75.2% White, 8.76% Black or African American, 7.15% Hispanic or Latino, 3.58% Two or More Races, 2.13% Asian, 0.133% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0935% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 298 students (1.47%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 2,642 more women than men received degrees from Ball State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Ball State University is white (5,205 degrees awarded). There were 10.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (481 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Ball State University is Education of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities (1,230 degrees awarded), followed by General Special Education & Teaching (139 degrees) and General Educational Leadership & Administration (92 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Ball State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Architecture and Related Services (137 degrees awarded), EDUCATION. (2,554 degrees), and Communications (521 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Ball State University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,766,000 people), Secondary school teachers (450,521 people), Education administrators (322,138 people), Other managers (295,038 people), and Special education teachers (196,132 people).

The most specialized majors at Ball State University in 2021 are Architecture and Related Services (137 degrees awarded), EDUCATION. (2,554 degrees), Communications (521 degrees), Psychology (433 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (152 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Ball State University are Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at Ball State University are Architecture and Related Services (137 degrees awarded), EDUCATION. (2,554 degrees), Communications (521 degrees), Psychology (433 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (152 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Ball State University are Elementary & secondary schools (3,116,291 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (484,592 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (361,525 people), Outpatient care centers (221,905 people), and Computer Systems Design (190,119 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Ball State University.

Most Common (2020)

Liberal Arts & Sciences
249 degrees awarded
Digital Communication & Multimedia
220 degrees awarded
General Business
170 degrees awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Ball State University was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 249 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Ball State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,057

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

4,699

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 2,057 degrees were awarded to men at Ball State University, which is 0.438 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,699).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Ball State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 187 degrees were awarded to men at Ball State University in General Business, which is 1.83 times more than the 102 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 1130 degrees were awarded to men at Ball State University in Education of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities, which is 9.04 times more than the 125 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

53%

100% Completion Time

66%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 53% of students graduating from Ball State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 66% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 66% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Ball State University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.885% of graduates (21 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
5,205 degrees awarded
Black or African American
481 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
480 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Ball State University is white (5,205 degrees awarded). There were 10.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (481 degrees).

1.35% of degree recipients (91 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
3,607 degrees awarded
White Male
1,598 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
353 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Ball State University is white female (3,607 degrees awarded). There were 2.26 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1598 degrees).

Operations

Ball State University has an endowment valued at nearly $269M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 3.7M (1.37%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, Ball State University had a total salary expenditure of 478M. Ball State University employs 251 Instructors, 236 Associate professors and 206 Assistant professors. Most academics at Ball State University are Female Instructor (160), Male Professor (132), and Male Associate professor (121).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Ball State University are: Service, with 462 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 427 employees, and Management with 300 employees.

Endowment

$269M

2021 Endowment

26.3%

growth from 2020

Ball State University has an endowment valued at about $269M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Ball State University grew 26.3% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $118M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Ball State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$212M

2021 Salaries

7.31%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Ball State University paid a median of $212M in salaries, which represents 44.4% of their overall expenditure ($478M) and a 7.31% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$75.2M

Instructional Salaries

1,042

Number of Employees

In 2021, Ball State University paid a total of $75.2M to 1,042 employees working as instructors, which represents 35.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

251 Employees

Service

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

462 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Ball State University were Instructor with 251 employees, Associate professor with 236 employees, and Assistant professor with 206 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Ball State University were Service with 462 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 427 employees, and Management with 300 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Female Instructor
Male Professor
Male Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Ball State University was Female Instructor with 160 employees, Male Professor with 132 employees, and Male Associate professor with 121 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Ball State University.