Ball State vs Western Michigan
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
BCompass Score: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Ball State UniversityMuncie, INCompass Score: Good · Top 39%BCompass Score: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MICompass Score: Good
At a glance
- Ball State has the higher graduation rate: 62% against 58% at Western Michigan.
- For families earning up to $30,000, Western Michigan has the lower price after aid: $5,263 a year, against $7,834 at Ball State.
- Median debt is lower at Ball State: $23,250, against $26,188 at Western Michigan.
Scores
Compass Score
BCompass Score: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 39%
BCompass Score: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
Academic Excellence
B+Academic Excellence: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 35%
B+Academic Excellence: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 34%
Value
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 35%
BValue: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 41%
The college
Category
National universities
National universities
Location
Muncie, IN
Kalamazoo, MI
Setting
City
City
Students
20,440
16,693
Sports
NCAA Division I · Mid-American Conference
NCAA Division I · Mid-American Conference
Admission
Admission rate
86%
85%
Average SAT
1160
Not reported
ACT middle 50%
20–24
Not reported
Outcomes
Graduation rate
62%
58%
First-year retention
78%
81%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$51,833
$53,562
Median debt
$23,250
$26,188
Cost
Average price after aid
$14,940
$15,273
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$7,834
$5,263
$30,001–$48,000
$9,848
$5,734
$48,001–$75,000
$14,333
$13,833
$75,001–$110,000
$19,567
$18,307
Over $110,000
$23,479
$23,625
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Construction Management $90,239
- Computing and information science $79,620
- Management information systems $78,566
- General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations $78,401
- Management science $77,774
- Paper Science and Engineering $102,825
- Electrical engineering $95,469
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering $94,177
- Industrial Engineering $92,306
- Chemical Engineering $91,777
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.