Features

Top 10 In-State Colleges to Consider Before Graduation

Consider 10 different universities through a brief overview of Indiana Colleges

Golda Kitchell, Managing Editor

April 21, 2025

As 2025 commencement approaches, choosing a college is on the minds of many freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

Chris Pearcy

Ball State University

Acceptance Rate: 69%

Application Cost: $60

Location: Muncie, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $26,734/year

Tuition After Aid: $15,464/year

Enrollment: 13,896 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 66%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division 1

Funding: Public

Nickname: Cardinals

Average SAT: 1170 (Test Optional)

An aerial view of Ball State University captures the Shafer Bell Tower towering over the unique brick campus. (Ball State University – panoramio/Dayne Baughman/Wikimedia/CC BY 3.0 DEED)

Butler University

Acceptance Rate: 82%

Application Cost: $50

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $67,210/year

Tuition After Aid: $36,631/year

Enrollment: 4,388 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 82%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division 1

Funding: Private

Nickname: Bulldogs

Average SAT: 1260 (Test Optional)

The School of Religion lights up Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. (The School of Religion, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana/Boston Public Library/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 DEED)

DePauw University

Acceptance Rate: 66%

Application Cost: None

Location: Greencastle, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $74,320/year

Tuition After Aid: $22,469/year

Enrollment: 1,708 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 84%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division III

Funding: Private

Nickname: Tigers

Average SAT: 1245 (Test Optional)

The Green Center for Performing Arts at DePauw University is beloved and considered a state-of-the-art facility. (Where Music is Made/Morgan Burke/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 DEED)

Purdue University

Acceptance Rate: 53%

Application Cost: $60

Location: West Lafayette, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $24,882/year

Tuition After Aid: $9,127/year

Enrollment: 37,658 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 82%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division 1

Funding: Public

Nickname: Boilermakers

Average SAT: 1330 (Test Optional)

The Purdue University Engineering Fountain represents the innovation from the renowned engineering program. (Engineering Fountain Purdue University 2016 02/Julian Herzog/Wikimedia/CC BY 4.0 DEED) (Julian Herzog)

Indiana University

Acceptance Rate: 80%

Application Cost: $65

Location: Bloomington, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $12,144/year

Tuition After Aid: $10,312/year

Enrollment: 48,952 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 81%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division 1

Funding: Public

Nickname: Hoosiers

Average SAT: 1310 (Test Optional)

The Sample Gates welcome Indiana University Hoosiers into campus in Bloomington, Indiana. (Indiana University Bloomington Sample Gates/SUZUKI Hironobu/Wikimedia/CC BY 3.0 DEED)

Indiana State University

Acceptance Rate: 92%

Application Cost: None

Location: Terre Haute, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $25,055/year

Tuition After Aid: $14,961/year

Enrollment: 7,653 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 41%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division I

Funding: Public

Nickname: Sycamores

Average SAT: 980 (Test Optional)

Dede Plaza is a popular gathering place for the Indiana State Sycamores. (Indiana State University Dede Plaza/Tony Campbell/Wikimedia/CC BY 1.0 DEED)

Indiana Wesleyan University

Acceptance Rate: 87%

Application Cost: None

Location: Marion, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $45,190/year

Tuition After Aid: $21,077/year

Enrollment: 2,268 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 72%

Athletic Affiliation: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

Funding: Private

Nickname: Wildcats

Average SAT: 1130 (Test Optional)

A fountain spouts outside of the Jackson Library at Indiana Wesleyan University. (Indiana Wesleyan University Jackson Library/Great Degree/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 DEED)

The former IUPUI is now an IUI hospital, which offers plenty job oppurtunites for IUI students in the medical field. (Indiana University Hospital - IUPUI/Daderot/Wikimedia/CC BY 1.0 DEED)

Indiana University Indianapolis

Acceptance Rate: 82.9%

Application Cost: $65

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $26,685/year

Tuition After Aid: $10,947/year

Enrollment: 17,037 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 50%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division I

Funding: Public

Nickname: Jaguars

Average SAT: 1070 (Test Optional)

The former IUPUI is now an IUI hospital, which offers plenty job oppurtunites for IUI students in the medical field. (Indiana University Hospital – IUPUI/Daderot/Wikimedia/CC BY 1.0 DEED)

Valparaiso University

Acceptance Rate: 94%

Application Cost: None

Location: Valparaiso, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $62,714/year

Tuition After Aid: $25,802/year

Enrollment: 2,493 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 71%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division I

Funding: Private

Nickname: Beacons

Average SAT: 1170 (Test Optional)

Baldwin Hall, former residence hall, stands alongside Heimlich Hall, a former medical school at Valparaiso University. (Baldwin and Heimlich Halls, Valparaiso University, circa 1960s/Steve Shook/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 DEED)

The administrative building is the forefront of Manchester College. (Manchester College Administration Building/Nyttend/Wikimedia/CC BY 1.0 DEED)

Manchester University

Acceptance Rate: 66%

Application Cost: None

Location: North Manchester, IN

Tuition Before Aid: $50,702/year

Tuition After Aid: $16,986/year

Enrollment: 977 undergraduate students

Graduation Rate: 52%

Athletic Affiliation: NCAA Division III

Funding: Private

Nickname: Spartans

Average SAT: 1070 (Test Optional)

The administrative building is the forefront of Manchester College. (Manchester College Administration Building/Nyttend/Wikimedia/CC BY 1.0 DEED)

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