Ferris State vs Ball State

Ferris State University and Ball State University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Ferris State, located in Big Rapids, Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Ball State, situated in Muncie, Indiana, stands out with its broader range of undergraduate programs, including popular majors like Business, Communication Studies, and Journalism. While Ferris State's student body comprises a higher percentage of male students, Ball State fosters a more diverse and inclusive campus community. As you explore the detailed comparison table below, you'll uncover further insights into these universities' unique strengths, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Ball State University	Ferris State University
Overview
Location	Muncie, Indiana	Big Rapids, Michigan
Campus setting	City: Small	Town: Distant
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	73.0%	77.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	68.2%	84.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1010 - 1210	930 - 1150
ACT range	20 - 27	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	42.0%	66.0%
Students submitting ACT score	13.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	22,947	10,480
Total number of admissions given out	15,642	8,884
Admitted students who chose to enroll	3,278	1,405
Yield rate	21.0%	15.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $25,254 Out of state: $42,488	$24,285
Average net price	$12,968	$13,624
Tuition	In state: $9,628 Out of state: $26,862	$12,740
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,862 Meal plan: $6,282	Room/dormitory: $5,450 Meal plan: $4,678
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	86.0% Average amount $11,442	90.0% Average amount $10,575
Students receiving federal student loan	88.0% Average amount $5,451	54.0% Average amount $5,319
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $13,381	10.0% Average amount $12,922

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	14,898 Men 38.7% Women 61.3%	9,248 Men 47.2% Women 52.8%
Graduate students	5,421 Men 23.0% Women 77.0%	1,113 Men 34.2% Women 65.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	9.4%	6.6%
International students	1.4%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	7,531	3,312
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Indiana Illinois Ohio Michigan Florida	Michigan Illinois Florida Indiana Wisconsin

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Health Professions Business Liberal Arts Psychology	Health Professions Business Engineering Technologies Law Enforcement and Firefighting Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	68.0%	47.7%
Dropout rate	11.4%	39.2%
Transferred out	20.1%	10.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $95,451 Year 2: $92,124 Year 3: $94,146 Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $69,551 Year 2: $75,989 Year 3: $81,236 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,545 Year 2: $63,997 Year 3: $77,057 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,885 Year 2: $65,610 Year 3: $75,003 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $58,368 Year 2: $53,108 Year 3: $65,967 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,067 Year 2: $53,775 Year 3: $64,046 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,195 Year 2: $54,296 Year 3: $63,441 Business/Commerce, General (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $57,995 Year 3: $62,410 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,157 Year 2: $56,776 Year 3: $60,714 Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,299 Year 2: $52,357 Year 3: $59,898	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $110,849 Year 2: $123,608 Year 3: $124,236 Optometry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $93,610 Year 2: $97,071 Year 3: $107,632 Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,938 Year 2: $74,122 Year 3: $77,998 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $65,051 Year 2: $81,498 Year 3: $77,389 Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $74,576 Year 3: $75,822 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $82,062 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $75,775 Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,334 Year 2: $64,837 Year 3: $75,354 Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,507 Year 2: $67,240 Year 3: $71,530 Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,480 Year 2: $69,535 Year 3: $70,863 Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,397 Year 2: $65,905 Year 3: $70,419

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