Top Ranked Programs
Ball State University's program mix is anchored in business and applied professional fields — a signature consistent with its identity as a regional public university serving Indiana's workforce. Business represents the largest share of degree output, with Business accounting for 19% of graduates, followed by Education at 11% and Arts at 7%. Across 66 programs, 48 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, together serving roughly 3,327 students annually. The program with the strongest combination of scale and earnings is Nursing, which anchors Ball State University's financial outcomes by pairing a large graduate cohort with competitive median earnings four years after enrollment. Among the most popular programs, Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program graduates 197 students with median earnings of $47,737 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #28 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business/Commerce, General and General Studies are also among the largest programs by cohort size, with graduates earning $67,141 and $49,657, respectively, four years after enrollment. The highest-earning programs at Ball State University are concentrated in applied business and technical fields. Nursing leads on earnings, with 159 graduates earning median earnings of $76,161 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks it #273 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business/Commerce, General follows, with graduates earning $67,141 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #22 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These programs represent direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect labor-market outcomes rather than graduate-school continuation. For context on how these fields align with national hiring demand, see [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/).