Regional university
#7 Best colleges in IndianaButler University
Indianapolis, IN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $36,041 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
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
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#56 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#85 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#110 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#88 of 834
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#194 of 1,829
- Best colleges for business in America#181 of 1,563
Show 16 more
- Best colleges for education in America#159 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#155 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#94 of 744
- Best colleges in America#269 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#210 of 1,418
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#211 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#200 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#231 of 1,481
- Best colleges for history in America#209 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#200 of 1,187
- Best mid-size colleges in America#115 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#210 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#211 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#196 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#208 of 1,116
- Best colleges for engineering in America#157 of 749
In Indiana
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Indiana#2 of 33
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Indiana#3 of 45
- Best colleges for accounting in Indiana#3 of 31
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Indiana#4 of 39
- Best colleges for marketing in Indiana#3 of 26
- Best colleges for business in Indiana#5 of 41
Show 17 more
- Best colleges for education in Indiana#5 of 39
- Best colleges for finance in Indiana#3 of 22
- Best colleges for psychology in Indiana#6 of 42
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Indiana#4 of 27
- Best test-optional colleges in Indiana#6 of 40
- Best colleges in Indiana#7 of 45
- Best mid-size colleges in Indiana#3 of 19
- Best colleges for English in Indiana#6 of 37
- Best colleges for art and design in Indiana#6 of 36
- Best colleges for history in Indiana#6 of 35
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Indiana#7 of 40
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Indiana#6 of 31
- Best colleges for mathematics in Indiana#7 of 36
- Best colleges for chemistry in Indiana#7 of 34
- Best colleges for music in Indiana#6 of 29
- Best colleges for engineering in Indiana#6 of 28
- Best colleges for economics in Indiana#7 of 25
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.80%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.87%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,274 · ACT 28.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$14,447
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: $65,970 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) | 4,519 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 40% · Women 60% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 13% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 49% |
| Total students | 5,763 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $36,041 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $65,970 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 80% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 78% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 77% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 85% |
| First-year retention | 87% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $77,235 |
| Admission rate | 85% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,267 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 15% |
| Average SAT | 1274 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 590–680 |
| SAT math | 570–670 |
| ACT composite | 26–31 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (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 |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Insurance | |
| Finance | |
| Public relations | |
| Marketing |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Arts management, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Biochemistry, Biology, Broadcasting, Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Communication studies, Computer engineering, Computing and information science, Criminology, Dance, Data Science, Design, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Economics, English, Entrepreneurship, Ethnic and gender studies, Fine arts, German, Health administration, Health sciences, History, International business, International relations, Journalism, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Management information systems, Management science, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other education, Other philosophy and religious studies, Other psychology, Other social sciences, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Psychology, Public health, Religious studies, Romance languages, Science, Technology and Society, Secondary education, Sociology, Software and media applications, Speech-language pathology, Statistics, Teacher education, Theatre, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Communication | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Social sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $16,430 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big East Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 11 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 13%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $51,445IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 54% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Indianapolis International Airport (IND)About 11 miles away · about 35 minutes by car |
| Town population | 885,860Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | IndianapolisAbout 4 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 29°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Indianapolis Eagle Creek Airport, IN, about 7 miles away |
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 | 1.04 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.70 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1.04 | 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 Butler University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 15% 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 Butler University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $36,041 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 Butler University?
- Butler University admitted 85% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Butler University’s graduates do?
- 80% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $77,235; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 150163
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
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