National university
#6 Best colleges for social work in IndianaBall State University
Muncie, IN · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $14,940 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,250 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
Ball State Campus Tour | 2020 · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#62 of 690
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#109 of 681
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#132 of 682
In Indiana
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Indiana#4 of 21
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Indiana#4 of 21
- Best colleges for nursing in Indiana#7 of 30
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Indiana#8 of 33
- Best colleges for social work in Indiana#6 of 21
- Best value colleges in Indiana#6 of 21
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.62%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,160 · ACT 22
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$10,844
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $26,146 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 14,874 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 28% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 9% |
| Total students | 20,440 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $14,940 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $26,146 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 62% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 58% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 57% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 65% |
| First-year retention | 78% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $51,833 |
| Admission rate | 86% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $60 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 35% |
| Average SAT | 1160 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 550–640 |
| SAT math | 530–620 |
| ACT composite | 20–24 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 35% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Construction Management | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Management information systems | |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | |
| Management science | |
| Managerial economics | |
| Nursing | |
| Human resources | |
| Business administration | |
| Accounting | |
| Industrial technology | |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | |
| Finance | |
| Business (general) | |
| Landscape Architecture | |
| Marketing | |
| Other architecture | |
| Chemistry | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Allied health | |
| Public relations | |
| Insurance | |
| Political science | |
| Other legal professions and studies | |
| Pre-health | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | |
| Biology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Geography | |
| Design | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Apparel and Textiles | |
| Public health | |
| Romance languages | |
| Special education | |
| Communication studies | |
| History | |
| Social work | |
| Secondary education | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Journalism | |
| Psychology | |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | |
| Teacher education | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | |
| Family and human development | |
| Hospitality management | |
| Anthropology | |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | |
| Theatre | |
| Fine arts | |
| Sociology | |
| English | |
| Music | |
| Dance |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs, Architectural Sciences and Technology, Architecture, Area studies, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Classics, Clinical and counseling psychology, Clinical laboratory science, Computer science, Data Analytics, Drafting and design, Economics, Engineering (general), Entrepreneurship, Environmental Design, Ethnic and gender studies, Geology and earth science, German, Graphic communications, Health sciences, Information technology, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, Mathematics, Natural resources and conservation, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-law and legal studies, Real Estate, Religious studies.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Communication | |
| Health professions | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 7% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 6% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,334 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Mid-American Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 14 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 9%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 77%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $14,399IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 47% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA)About 55 miles away · about 1 hour 30 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Indianapolis International Airport (IND)About 58 miles away |
| Town population | 64,751Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | IndianapolisAbout 49 miles away · about 1 hour 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 29°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Muncie Delaware Co Airport, IN |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.16 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.06 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Ball State University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). It ranks in the top 39% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Ball State University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $14,940 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Ball State University?
- Ball State University admitted 86% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Ball State University’s graduates do?
- 62% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $51,833; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,250.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 150136
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
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