Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology
Quick Stats
Earnings, Debt & Completion
What happens to students who enroll at Ball State University, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Typical debt at graduation equals about 45% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.
Earnings rank: 51st percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (IN wage index 0.87). This drives the Outcome Rating.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.
Earnings by Major at Ball State University
Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.
| Major | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | vs. national | Rank (pay) | Rank (wage-adj.) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Management | $69,076 | $90,239 | -5% | #43 of 57 | #28 | $25,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $59,249 | $79,620 | -14% | #303 of 459 | #250 | $23,512 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $53,597 | $78,566 | -6% | #94 of 166 | #82 | $22,665 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $65,184 | $78,401 | +4% | #10 of 27 | #10 | $24,250 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $67,350 | $77,774 | -10% | #75 of 126 | #63 | $16,654 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $53,319 | $76,847 | -1% | #48 of 84 | #39 | $26,821 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $73,719 | $76,161 | -14% | #856 of 966 | #779 | $24,732 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $47,451 | $75,822 | +11% | #49 of 187 | #35 | $19,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $60,526 | $75,703 | +11% | #223 of 1176 | #122 | $20,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $56,101 | $75,559 | -1% | #340 of 796 | #264 | $23,172 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | — | $73,664 | -9% | #42 of 51 | #37 | — |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $51,219 | $71,514 | -15% | #23 of 27 | #19 | $26,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $50,077 | $70,833 | -15% | #326 of 452 | #268 | $23,000 |
| Business/Commerce | $46,550 | $67,141 | -2% | #100 of 271 | #71 | $24,025 |
| Landscape Architecture | $59,972 | $65,382 | -2% | #13 of 19 | #11 | — |
| Marketing | $42,480 | $64,895 | -6% | #295 of 516 | #219 | $21,825 |
| Architecture and Related Services | — | $64,350 | +4% | #3 of 6 | #1 | — |
| Chemistry | $42,677 | $63,764 | -2% | #134 of 209 | #78 | $25,000 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | — | $61,677 | +5% | #70 of 215 | #40 | $20,500 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $67,833 | $61,584 | -13% | #164 of 253 | #158 | $27,000 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $38,020 | $60,686 | -5% | #100 of 178 | #81 | $23,250 |
| Insurance | $48,615 | $59,612 | -33% | #21 of 21 | #21 | $25,537 |
| Political Science and Government | $39,755 | $58,953 | -7% | #342 of 565 | #225 | $25,410 |
| Real Estate | $58,575 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Architecture | $57,603 | — | — | — | — | $28,035 |
| Legal Professions and Studies | $39,220 | $57,249 | +0% | #7 of 13 | #4 | $27,000 |
| Economics | $56,782 | — | — | — | — | $22,054 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $37,638 | $56,078 | -9% | #31 of 48 | #28 | $23,250 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | — | $55,768 | +0% | #37 of 70 | #26 | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | — | $55,663 | -17% | #16 of 17 | #15 | — |
| Biology | $34,248 | $55,097 | -4% | #529 of 841 | #383 | $23,229 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $35,500 | $55,053 | +1% | #253 of 610 | #178 | $25,192 |
| Geography and Cartography | $34,274 | $53,992 | -7% | #90 of 117 | #68 | $24,750 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $36,864 | $53,514 | +4% | #141 of 299 | #107 | $22,000 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $39,991 | $52,997 | -4% | #399 of 660 | #298 | $21,982 |
| Apparel and Textiles | — | $52,542 | -9% | #43 of 57 | #36 | — |
| Public Health | — | $52,202 | -11% | #152 of 215 | #123 | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $37,553 | $51,294 | -7% | #168 of 225 | #125 | $21,702 |
| Special Education and Teaching | $47,499 | $51,267 | +2% | #86 of 177 | #52 | $22,500 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $33,815 | $51,186 | -9% | #408 of 660 | #316 | $21,500 |
| History | $28,444 | $50,838 | +0% | #224 of 459 | #121 | $20,341 |
| Social Work | $39,094 | $50,321 | -3% | #260 of 420 | #189 | $21,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $46,347 | $50,260 | -2% | #186 of 345 | #141 | $22,875 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $35,269 | $49,657 | -6% | #311 of 476 | #235 | $23,125 |
| Journalism | $31,398 | $49,456 | -12% | #142 of 187 | #117 | $24,418 |
| Psychology | $31,305 | $48,421 | -5% | #628 of 1027 | #398 | $22,364 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | — | $48,378 | +-0% | #21 of 49 | #12 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $41,821 | $48,344 | +2% | #325 of 680 | #239 | $21,954 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $32,118 | $47,737 | -5% | #95 of 158 | #77 | $23,146 |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $35,904 | $47,584 | -20% | #34 of 42 | #30 | $25,450 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.
The Ball State University Town Property Report
- Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 47305 (7.6% cap, Muncie)
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🏆 Where Ball State University Ranks
Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.
Costs & Financial Aid
Tuition & Fees
| Category | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $8,688 | $26,696 |
| Room | $5,594 | |
| Board | $6,470 | |
| Total Cost (On-Campus) | $26,734 | $44,742 |
Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,233 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,717 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,882 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,748 |
| $110,001+ | $21,756 |
Programs & Career Paths
Top Degree Programs
Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.
Related Career Paths
Careers that graduates from Ball State University's top programs commonly pursue.
Student Demographics
👥 Race & Ethnicity
🏠 Living Arrangements
💻 Learning Mode
📊 Age Distribution
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Outcomes (B+): Graduation and retention rates
- Affordability (C): Net cost and financial aid access
- Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
- Experience (B+): Campus life and learning format
- Prestige (C+): Reputation and recognition
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🎓 Similar Colleges to Ball State University
Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.
Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology