;Established in 1918, Ball State University is a public research university located in Muncie, Indiana. The university has a suburban setting and occupies over 1140 acres of land. Ball State has been ranked at #600 (THE) among all the universities in the US.

Over the years Ball State has developed into a world-class university with a number of programs in the fields of education, architecture, business, communications, fine arts, sciences, humanities, and health and has emerged as a prestigious institute among international aspirants looking to study in the USA. Currently, it boasts seven academic colleges through which all the programs at Ball State University are offered. It is affordable and offers a variety of scholarships and assistantships to both native and international students.

Table of Contents

  1. BSU Rankings
  2. BSU Highlights 
  3. BSU Programs
  4. BSU Campus
  5. BSU Residence
  6. BSU Application Process
  7. BSU Cost of Attendance
  8. BSU Scholarships
  9. BSU Alumni
  10. BSU Placements

Ball State is quite affordable since every 4 out of 5 students of the university receive some kind of financial aid. More than 2,000 candidates participate in voluntary services conducted by the institute, ensuring that the students of the university grow not only academically but also socially. Admissions at Ball State University are available for fall, spring and summer. You will be required to apply for admission by March 1 for the Fall semester and December 1 for the Spring semester. While the students applying for the summer term need to complete the application process by April 1.

Ball State University Rankings

Ball State University has been conferred with the following ranks by different ranking agencies:

US News and World Report Rankings

#284 in National Universities 
#191 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
#144 in Top Public Schools 

Niche Rankings

#373 of 1,596: Colleges with the Best Professors in America
#432 of 1,577: Colleges with the Best Academics in America
#457 of 1,619: Best Colleges in America
#562 of 1,660: Hardest Colleges to Get Into in America
#638 of 1,572: Best Value Colleges in America
#688 of 1,674: Most Conservative Colleges in America

Highlights

Type Public
Campus Setting Suburban
Endowment 212.8 million USD
Housing capacity 75%
Work-study Available
Total Enrolment 22,541
Mode of Study Full-time, Part-time, Online
English Proficiency Requirement IELTS, TOEFL, Pearson’s PTE
Financial Aid Grants, Scholarships, Loans, Work-study
Admission Help +765-289-1241, askus@bsu.edu
Website bsu.edu

Ball State University Programs

  • The university offers over 120 undergraduate and 100 graduate programs through 7 academic schools and colleges.
  • The university is popular for its programs in Education, Architecture, Business, Communications, Fine arts, sciences and humanities, Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia, Liberal Arts and Humanities, Health professions, and Psychology.
  • Ball State University is the one and the only institution in the United States that offers a Certification in Education for Public Relations, certified by the Public Relations Society of America.
  • Popular majors include Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Psychology.
  • The university has six special programs which are given below:
    • Honors college
    • Degree in 3
    • ROTC military science
    • Programs in supplemental applications
    • Study abroad
    • Online classes
  • The MBA program offered at Ball State University is considered to be among the world's 5% of business schools. The university MBA program offers 10 concentrations such as artificial intelligence, business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, information, and technology management, logistics and supply chain management, and many more.
  • Furthermore, the MBA program is offered on campus, online, and as a blended learning option too.

Ball State University Campus

  • There are seven colleges in Ball State University, with the main campus sprawled over 1,140 acres.
  • The main campus of BSU is equipped with advanced educational facilities that combine emerging technology and environmentally friendly design offering high-quality education.
  • The University has recreational facilities for students such as an indoor climbing wall, student recreation and wellness center, Ball gym pool, Racquetball courts, and many more
  • Muncie is well known for its cultural and recreational facilities which include Minnetrista, cardinal greenways, Muncie civic theatre, and many more. The city also ranks as the most affordable place to live in the United States.

Ball State University Residence

  • The university has 15 residence halls for its students and can accommodate up to 17,000 students.
  • Various options of accommodation at BSU include residence halls, apartments, conference housing, and living-learning communities
  • The housing is gender-inclusive and the facilities include computer labs, free internet access, fitness rooms, housekeeping, laundry among many others
  • The rooms are given on the basis of three types of plans and contracts namely standard, premium and contract terms and has single, double and triple room with optional meal plans that can be chosen at the convenience of the students
  • For the fall, the university has modified its housing and dining contracts where students will be billed only for 13 weeks as opposed to 16 weeks in the earlier contract
  • The university is also equipped with housing for disabled students as per the need of the person.

Ball State University Application Process

  • International applicants need to prepare additionally while applying for admission at Ball State University.
  • Application portal: The aspiring students can apply online considering the type of student they are on:
  • Application Requirements
    • GED and TASC test scores
    • Transcripts from previous institutions
    • English language proficiency
    • GPA requirements: 2.0 for UG, 2.75 for PG
    • Passport copy
    • Financial documentation such as personal funding, private sponsorship or ball state sponsorship
  • Application deadlines for international students are:
    • Fall term – June 15
    • Spring term – November 15
    • Summer term – March 15
  • English proficiency requirements for international applicants are tabulated below:
TOEFL 79
IELTS 6.5
Pearson’s PTE 53
SAT (English section) 21

Ball State University Cost of Attendance

The aspirants who wish to secure admission at Ball state university can plan their finances by taking an estimate of the below-given program fee offered by the institute for their undergraduate and graduate programs.

Expenses UG (USD) PG (USD)
Tuition 25126 20610
Room and board 10676 -
Student service 1344 1344
University technology 336 336
Recreation center 174 174
Health center 152 152
Residence hall technology 120 120
Total Fee 37,928 22,856

Additional cost of book/supplies 1,350 USD and personal expense/transportation 2700 to 3200 USD

Ball State University Scholarships

  • Ball state university offers more than 500 scholarships, 80% of the students at the university qualify for financial aid and the average borrowing amount of the student is up to 28K USD.
  • The financial aid at the university is available in the form of
    • Grants
    • Scholarship
    • Loans
    • Student employment
    • Veteran benefits
  • The deadline for all type of grants is April 15
  • Some of the eligibility factors considered during the process of granting of financial aid are Financial need, hours enrolled, citizenship policy, satisfactory academic progress, repeat course among others
  • The university also takes pride in the fact that over 95% of its students are successful in paying back the loan on time

Ball State University Alumni

  • Ball State University has over 197,000 alumni representing its prestigious alumni association.
  • Some of the alumni benefits include Cardinal platinum visa card, career services, insurance programs, alumni travel among others
  • Some of the noted alumni include:
    • David Letterman – American television host
    • Angela Ahrendts – Vice president of retail at Apple
    • Jim Davis – American Cartoonist
    • Bonzi Wells – Former American Basketball player

Ball State University Placements

  • The Ball state university has a placement rate of 93% with 82% proudly employed in their respective field of study.
  • The university also hosts various activities to help students secure the best opportunities and to hone their skills such as cardinal job fairs, on-campus interviewing, workshops and presentations like a career-ready program.

A career centre is available to help students with everything related to career and placements. The various services provided by the center are mentioned below.

  • Cardinal Career Link: It is a forum to connect students with employers, partners, and alumni. Mentoring services are also provided to help with decision making, portfolio building, and other activities.

  • Workshops: 2 main programs are conducted as part of the workshop:
    • KEY Careers Program
      • Knowledge, Experience, and You program.
      • Recognized as Nation’s best practice program.
      • It is available for every freshman to gain clarity and direction on career paths.
  • Career Ready Program
    • This program is available to any undergraduate or graduate student to advance their career possibilities.
    • Self-paced
    • Helps with employer engagement, leadership, and volunteer experiences to its students.
    • A certificate is provided which is accepted by employers.
  • Interview assistance: As part of assistance, a lot of practice sessions are available to the students. The students can choose to have practice sessions directly with their career coach or online with pre-loaded questions. Moreover, 50+ corporate volunteers-including top executives, hiring managers, and seasoned professionals- help train the students for the job market.
  • Resume assistance: Ball State University has partnered with VMock. This uses predictive analysis, ML, and AI to review resumes. They help optimize the skills of students by providing constructive feedback.
  • On-Campus Interviews: These are mainly held in three main settings.
    • It is held from September through November and from January through April as a separate event.
    • It is held on the day after the career fairs, which include the Fall and Spring Cardinal Job Fairs.
    • Virtual interviews are held through skype and other similar media.
  • Job Fairs: Virtual Cardinal Job Fair, Teacher Job Fair, and Graduate School Expo are held at various times of the year. 
  • Employability ranks and median salaries:
    • Alumni employment rank by CWUR- 443
    • Graduation rate(Niche)- 63%
    • Employed 2 years after graduation(Niche)- 95%
    • Post-graduation placement rate( Ball state university)- 97%
    • Median starting salary of alumni(US News and World Report)- 44,100 USD
    • Salary after 10 years (THE)- 39,767 USD
    • Salary after 6 years(Niche)- 41,100 USD
  • The average salary earned by BSU graduates by the job as reported by Payscale is tabulated below:
Position Average Salary
Board Certified Behavior Analyst 60,000
Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General) 72,000
Graphic Designer 42,000
Landscape Architect 53,000
Operations Manager 79,000
Executive Director 81,000

Ball State University FAQs

Ques. How competitive are admissions at Ball State University?

Ans. With a 77% acceptance rate the admission to the university is somewhat competitive.

Ques. What are the programs offered at Ball State University?

Ans. It offers over 130 undergraduate and 100 graduate courses through its 7 academic colleges and schools namely R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning, Miller College of Business, College of Communication, Information, and Media, College of Fine Arts, College of Health, College of Sciences and Humanities and Teachers College.

Ques. How many credit transfers are permitted by Ball State University?

Ans. The university permits the transfer of 9 credits in general. You are advised to check with the university by providing the details of the courses undertaken by you.

Ques. If I complete a Master’s in Secondary Education for teaching, do I still need to apply for the license?

Ans. A university degree is not equivalent to a license and you will require to complete the government requirements to obtain the license.

Ques. Is health insurance mandatory for studying in the US?

Ans. The University endorses a GeoBlue health insurance plan for international students. All international students are automatically enrolled for the insurance unless exempted.

Ques. What are the benefits of living on campus?

Ans. You are close to all the facilities and National research shows that students who live on campus for at least a year graduate at higher rates, and sooner, than those who don't.

Ques. Are students allowed to keep pets on campus?

Ans. The students can bring their pets but have to follow the university policy for keeping them.

Ques. What is the average salary of Ball State University graduates?

Ans. The average salary of Ball State graduates as per PayScale is 59,630 USD per annum.

Ques. What are the popular programs at Ball State University?

Ans. Popular majors include Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Psychology.