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Ball State University

⌖ Muncie, IN · 85 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$149,750 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

26.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
−62%Modeled 10-year ROI
$54,001Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$149,750at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$239,7600
2
4
6
8
−$149,75010
Years after graduationBreak-even: 26.6 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$11,082
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$29,630
Sticker price
Average net price$14,940
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$26,146
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$14,940Average net price / year
$26,146Cost of attendance
$54,001Median earnings · year 5 after completion
62.3%Completion rate
85.5%Admission rate
13,988Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

70thEarnings percentile
56thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$42,646Year 1
$57,619Year 4
$54,001Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Business/Commerce, General · Master's Degree$120,9922Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$117,2603Information Science/Studies · Master's Degree$111,4444Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology · Doctoral Degree$98,4425Construction Management · Bachelor's Degree$90,2396Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$80,4637Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Associate's Degree$79,6698Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$79,620

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in IN

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Fort Wayne, IN

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Annual net price
$13,171
Observed earnings · year 5
$53,814
Modeled 10-year ROI
-62%
Open college profile →Evansville, IN

University of Southern Indiana

Annual net price
$12,923
Observed earnings · year 5
$52,882
Modeled 10-year ROI
-66%
Open college profile →Terre Haute, IN

Indiana State University

Annual net price
$10,873
Observed earnings · year 5
$53,967
Modeled 10-year ROI
-60%
Open college profile →Richmond, IN

Indiana University-East

Annual net price
$8,134
Observed earnings · year 5
$53,596
Modeled 10-year ROI
-60%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Business/Commerce, GeneralMaster's Degree$120,992Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$117,260Not available
Information Science/StudiesMaster's Degree$111,444Not available
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyDoctoral Degree$98,442Not available
Construction ManagementBachelor's Degree$90,239$25,769
Accounting and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$80,463Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's Degree$79,669Not available
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$79,620$23,512
Management Information Systems and ServicesBachelor's Degree$78,566$25,000
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing OperationsBachelor's Degree$78,401$26,000
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBachelor's Degree$77,774$16,654
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree$77,628Not available
Public AdministrationMaster's Degree$76,893Not available
Business/Managerial EconomicsBachelor's Degree$76,847$27,000
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$76,161$26,000
Human Resources Management and ServicesBachelor's Degree$75,822$20,500
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$75,703$20,500
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$75,559$24,000
Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree$73,664Not available
Special Education and TeachingMaster's Degree$71,550Not available
Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree$71,514$26,000
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$70,833$24,101
Architecture and Related Services, OtherMaster's Degree$69,582Not available
Curriculum and InstructionMaster's Degree$67,573Not available
Business/Commerce, GeneralBachelor's Degree$67,141$25,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasMaster's Degree$66,242Not available
Biology, GeneralMaster's Degree$65,439Not available
Landscape ArchitectureBachelor's Degree$65,382Not available
Special Education and TeachingGraduate/Professional Certificate$65,194Not available
MarketingBachelor's Degree$64,895$24,730
Architecture and Related Services, OtherBachelor's Degree$64,350Not available
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$63,764$25,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesMaster's Degree$63,638Not available
Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationMaster's Degree$62,483Not available
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesBachelor's Degree$61,677$21,000
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$61,584$27,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree$61,569Not available
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationBachelor's Degree$60,686$23,879
InsuranceBachelor's Degree$59,612$27,000
Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree$59,019Not available
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$58,953$25,410
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree$58,806Not available
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition ServicesMaster's Degree$58,421Not available
Legal Professions and Studies, OtherBachelor's Degree$57,249$27,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's Degree$56,692Not available
Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsBachelor's Degree$56,078$25,732
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition ServicesBachelor's Degree$55,768Not available
City/Urban, Community, and Regional PlanningBachelor's Degree$55,663Not available
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, OtherMaster's Degree$55,296Not available
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$55,097$24,333
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$55,053$25,962
Geography and CartographyBachelor's Degree$53,992$26,000
Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree$53,514$22,000
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree$52,997$23,367
Apparel and TextilesBachelor's Degree$52,542Not available
Public HealthBachelor's Degree$52,202Not available
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree$51,294$21,702
Special Education and TeachingBachelor's Degree$51,267$23,250
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$51,186$21,550
HistoryBachelor's Degree$50,838$21,750
Social WorkBachelor's Degree$50,321$23,900
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree$50,260$24,998
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$49,657$26,965
JournalismBachelor's Degree$49,456$25,675
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$48,421$24,612
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$48,378Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$48,344$24,655
Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationBachelor's Degree$47,737$23,443
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing OperationsBachelor's Degree$47,584$25,583
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree$47,312Not available
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$46,269$27,000
Hospitality Administration/ManagementBachelor's Degree$44,705$24,148
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$44,371$23,352
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree$44,208Not available
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree$43,082$24,984
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$42,594$25,637
SociologyBachelor's Degree$38,857$22,198
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$38,676$24,750
MusicBachelor's Degree$37,997Not available
DanceBachelor's Degree$34,518Not available
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's DegreeNot available$27,000
ArchitectureBachelor's DegreeNot available$28,670
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyBachelor's DegreeNot available$27,075
EconomicsBachelor's DegreeNot available$22,054
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralBachelor's DegreeNot available$27,000

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.