Ball State University
Muncie, IN
85.5%
Acceptance Rate
$11,082
Avg Cost (In-State)
$29,630
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
62.8%
Graduation Rate
13,988
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
Rolling admissions
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for admission; optional personal statement may be submitted
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$44,394
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$51,833
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
63%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. | $32,118 | $47,737 | 295 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $41,821 | $48,344 | 237 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $35,269 | $49,657 | 225 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $73,719 | $76,161 | 208 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | $46,550 | $67,141 | 183 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | $39,991 | $52,997 | 155 |
| Marketing. | $42,480 | $64,895 | 151 |
| Psychology, General. | $31,305 | $48,421 | 138 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Indiana 21st Century Scholars
~$40k valueIndiana pays full tuition at IN public universities for low/moderate-income kids who enroll in middle school and stay on track through HS.
Who it helps: Indiana 7th-9th graders from low/moderate-income families. Must enroll before high school starts.
How to use: Enroll at scholars.in.gov by 8th grade. Complete the 12 required activities through HS. File FAFSA junior year of HS.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Indiana State Honors Scholarship
$3,000-$10,000/year
universityTop ISU incoming freshmen via tiered automatic grid.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Ball State Presidential Scholarship
Full in-state tuition
universityTop BSU freshmen with 3.5+ GPA + 1300+ SAT. Automatic.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗IU Bloomington Direct Admit Scholarship (Kelley)
$2,000-$22,000/year
universityDirect admits to Kelley School of Business with 3.7+ GPA + 1350 SAT/30 ACT.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Indiana Music Education Association (IMEA) Scholarship
$500-$2,000
stateIndiana HS senior pursuing music education at IN college.
Deadline: Spring
Learn more ↗Frank O'Bannon Grant
Up to ~$11,000/year (publics); $14,000+ (privates)
stateIN residents with financial need attending IN colleges full-time. Largest IN need-based grant.
Deadline: FAFSA by April 15
Learn more ↗Indiana Workforce Ready Grant
Tuition + fees up to 2 years
stateIN adults pursuing high-demand certificates at Ivy Tech or Vincennes University.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗Purdue Stamps Scholars Program
Full cost of attendance + summer enrichment
universityTop ~5 Purdue freshmen via competitive Stamps process.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Indiana Adult Student Grant
Up to $2,000/year
stateIN adults (25+) attending IN colleges at least half-time with financial need.
Deadline: FAFSA by April 15
Learn more ↗IU Bloomington Cox Engagement Center Scholarship
$1,000-$5,000/year + civic engagement
universityIU students with sustained community service involvement.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $7,834 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $9,848 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $14,333 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $19,567 |
| $110,001+ | $23,479 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Ball State University →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 85.5% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
85.5%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
27.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
24.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
87.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
18.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
28.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
81.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
65.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
85.7% acceptance
Both admit around 86% of applicants, with 9k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
86% acceptance
Both admit around 86% of applicants, with 27k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Ohio University-Main Campus
Athens, OH
85% acceptance
Both admit around 85% of applicants, with 20k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 86%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $30k.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
86.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (87% vs 86%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $30k.
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
89.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (90% vs 86%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $30k.
Reaches above this college
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (45% vs 86%) — a stretch target if Ball State University is already on your list.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
42.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (42% vs 86%) — a stretch target if Ball State University is already on your list.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
17.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (18% vs 86%) — a stretch target if Ball State University is already on your list.
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