Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Indiana University-Bloomington #96 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $74,511, placing Indiana University-Bloomington in the 74.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Business/Commerce, General #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment — a program-level anchor that reflects Indiana University-Bloomington's dominant strength in business and applied professional fields. --- Students at Indiana University-Bloomington achieve median 4-year earnings that place the university among the stronger-performing institutions in the Azimuth coverage set, with its business-led program mix driving much of that advantage. Business/Commerce, General, ranked #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, anchors a return profile that extends across Indiana University-Bloomington's professional and applied degree offerings.
Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Bloomington #96 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Bloomington, IN, Indiana University-Bloomington enrolls roughly 37,806 undergraduates. Retention stands at 91.1% and the six-year graduation rate is 80.2%, figures that reflect strong institutional follow-through from enrollment to degree completion. The composite is anchored by return on investment. Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Bloomington #128 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $74,511, and earn about $6,130 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Indiana University-Bloomington in the 79.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business is the dominant program family, and the university's broad degree portfolio channels graduates into a wide range of career paths across the Midwest and nationally. Mobility sits in the 93.9 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, supported by outcomes for low-income graduates that remain competitive relative to peers. Access is the lower-ranked pillar — Indiana University-Bloomington admits about 78.2% of applicants, and 16.8% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants with 22.1% identifying as first-generation, levels that sit below the medians for large public research universities. Affordability lands in the 68.8 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, shaped by net prices that rise meaningfully for middle- and higher-income families.
Indiana University-Bloomington's published cost of attendance is $28,801, but need-based aid reshapes what families actually pay across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $6,324, while middle-income families pay around $12,154, and higher-income families pay approximately $25,128. Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Bloomington #446 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Indiana University-Bloomington participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and merit-based scholarships. The spread between what low-income and higher-income families pay reflects the university's need-based aid structure, which directs the largest grants toward students with the greatest demonstrated financial need. Families seeking to understand how the net price illusion affects their actual cost should compare their expected family contribution against the income-band figures above rather than anchoring on the sticker price. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,509, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $32,850; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $74,511, median federal debt of $19,509 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Indiana University-Bloomington is a strong fit for students drawn to business, finance, and related professional fields who want a large public research university experience in Bloomington, IN, with a program portfolio oriented toward high-mobility careers and solid long-term earnings. Graduates earn in the 74.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Indiana University-Bloomington sits in the 79.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $6,130 more than similar students at comparable institutions, a meaningful signal for students weighing long-run financial outcomes. The access picture is mixed but real. 16.8% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 22.1% are first-generation students; Indiana University-Bloomington sits in the 85.8 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions on a historical 10-year Scorecard measure, suggesting that students from lower-income backgrounds who enroll and complete do reach competitive earnings outcomes. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the Business-heavy program mix means students whose interests align with that concentration will find the strongest outcomes, while those pursuing fields outside that core should weigh program-level rankings carefully before enrolling.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Indiana University-Bloomington hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
California State University-Chico Similar quality tier (#4204 ranked) | CA | 93% | $64,172 | #4204 | Compare |
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte Similar quality tier (#4210 ranked) | NC | 80% | $57,289 | #4210 | Compare |
University Of Utah Similar quality tier (#4211 ranked) | UT | 86% | $67,170 | #4211 | Compare |
University Of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Similar quality tier (#4213 ranked) | OK | 77% | $63,126 | #4213 | Compare |
Ohio State University-Main Campus Similar quality tier in Midwest (#4200 ranked) | OH | 61% | $60,409 | #4200 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Indiana University-Bloomington's published cost of attendance is $28,801, but need-based aid reshapes what families actually pay across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $6,324, while middle-income families pay around $12,154, and higher-income families pay approximately $25,128.
Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Bloomington #446 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Indiana University-Bloomington participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and merit-based scholarships. The spread between what low-income and higher-income families pay reflects the university's need-based aid structure, which directs the largest grants toward students with the greatest demonstrated financial need.
Families seeking to understand how the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) affects their actual cost should compare their expected family contribution against the income-band figures above rather than anchoring on the sticker price. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,509, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $32,850; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $74,511, median federal debt of $19,509 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Indiana University-Bloomington earn median earnings of $74,511 four years after enrollment, placing Indiana University-Bloomington in the 74.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn about $6,130 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 79.0 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Bloomington #128 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings pattern reflects Indiana University-Bloomington's business-heavy degree mix. Business is the dominant program family, accounting for 29% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 5% and Arts at 4%.
Business/Commerce, General combines high enrollment with strong pay, making it a key driver of the institution's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Business/Commerce, General #4 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 2,132 graduates earning median earnings of $105,583.
The Public Administration program graduates 448 students with median earnings of $77,422, and Azimuth ranks Communication and Media Studies #64 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 436 graduates earning median earnings of $63,855. Further down the lineup, Artificial Intelligence and Kinesiology graduate 416 and 391 students respectively, with median earnings of $98,539 and $68,675 four years after enrollment.
Computer Science
144 graduates
Business/Commerce, General
2132 graduates
Economics
98 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
416 graduates
Mathematics
56 graduates
Indiana University-Bloomington's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 29% of degree output — a concentration that shapes the institution's overall earnings profile. Social Sciences represents 5% of graduates and Arts accounts for 4%, rounding out a portfolio that balances applied-professional fields with broader liberal-arts and social-science programs.
Across 2,132 graduates, Business/Commerce, General is the largest program by cohort size, followed by Public Administration (448 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (436 graduates), Artificial Intelligence (416 graduates), and Kinesiology (391 graduates). The highest four-year median earnings belong to Business/Commerce, General, where graduates earn $105,583 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks the program #4 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Artificial Intelligence graduates earn $98,539, and Azimuth ranks the program #55 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Public Administration delivers median earnings of $77,422 with a cohort of 448 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #1 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Business/Commerce, General combines strong enrollment scale with solid pay, making it the program that contributes the most aggregate economic value to Indiana University-Bloomington's graduate outcomes [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Several of Indiana University-Bloomington's strongest programs feed directly into high-mobility career paths — Business/Commerce, General, Artificial Intelligence, and Public Administration channel graduates into national labor markets in technology, finance, and consulting where four-year earnings reflect direct workforce entry.
Programs like Communication and Media Studies and Kinesiology are more likely grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional study. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Indiana University-Bloomington's dominant program families align with national wage trends. ```
