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Muncie, IN · Hammond, IN
| Ball State University | Purdue University Northwest | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $14,940/yr | $6,079/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,834/yr | $1,432/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $23,250 | $21,229 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $9,848/yr | $2,428/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $14,333/yr | $7,026/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $19,567/yr | $12,452/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $23,479/yr | $13,645/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $246/mo | $225/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $12,334/yr | $8,907/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,334/yr | $9,333/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,400/yr | $598/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,626/yr | $4,212/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $26,146/yr | $15,571/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $11,082/yr | $8,675/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $29,630/yr | $16,094/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 35% | 28% |
| Students taking federal loans | 43% | 25% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 86% | 72% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1080–1260 | 890–1140 |
| SAT average | 1160 | 1024 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 20–24 | 16–24 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 20–23 · Math 19–25 | English 16–23 · Math 17–26 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 28,668 | 6,394 |
| Students accepted | 20,525 | 4,516 |
| Students who enrolled | 3,826 | 1,192 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 19% | 26% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 32% | 67% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 3% | 5% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 62% | 43% |
| Freshmen who come back | 78% | 66% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $51,833/yr | $48,318/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $36,578–$72,407 | $27,192–$75,170 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 64% | 49% |
| White students graduating | 65% | 44% |
| Black students graduating | 51% | 27% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 53% | 42% |
| Asian students graduating | 65% | 72% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $44,394/yr | $48,439/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 75% | 65% |
| Graduate on time | 49% | 26% |
| Pell students who graduate | 53% | 37% |
| First-gen students who finish | 57% | 39% |
| Low-income students who finish | 51% | 33% |
| Students who transfer out | 22% | No data reported |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $48,782/yr | $49,368/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Education 10% · Communication & Journalism 10% | Health Professions 32% · Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Engineering 8% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees | Health Professions — 32% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Education — 10% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 10% of degrees | Engineering — 8% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Psychology — 9% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 6% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 8% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $103,103/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $108,669/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 8.4% | 26% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 13,988 | 5,671 |
| Students per professor | 14 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 5,900 | 850 |
| Average professor pay | $8,408/mo | $9,864/mo |
| Full-time professors | 77% | 98% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $61,975 | $39,335 |
| Setting | City (small) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | Muncie, IN | Hammond, IN |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1918 | 2016 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1.2% | 4.2% |
| Men | 39% | 47% |
| Women | 61% | 53% |
| White students | 72% | 48% |
| Black students | 11% | 12% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 8% | 27% |
| Asian students | 1.8% | 3.3% |
| Two or more races | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| Other / not reported | 1.8% | 2.1% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 28% | 43% |
| Part-time students | 6.9% | 19% |
| Students age 25+ | 5.6% | 14% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,844/yr | $10,005/yr |
| Endowment | $260.8M | $55.7M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 7,046 | 776 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $5,594/yr | $6,176/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,470/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | No |
| Meals per week | 21 meals/week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division II without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 17 | 17 |
| Student athletes | 468 | 304 |
| Athletic scholarships | $8.5M | $1.3M |
| Athletics budget | $30.3M | $5.4M |
| Athletics revenue | $30.3M | $5.4M |
| Recruiting spend | $662,905 | $28,493 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.