Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Ball State graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout their early career development. Median earnings increase from $44,394 six years after enrollment to $48,782 at eight years and reach $51,833 at ten years, representing 16.8% growth from the six-year to ten-year measurement period.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings fall below the peer average for similar institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $23,250 in debt with typical earnings.
Ball State graduates carry median debt loads of $23,250, which places the university around the national average at the 45th percentile for borrowing levels. Student debt ranges from $7,000 at the 25th percentile to $27,000 at the 75th percentile, indicating that many students graduate with relatively modest borrowing while others require more substantial loans.
Ball State University's return on investment ranks at the 40th percentile nationally, reflecting modestly below average performance in converting educational costs into earnings outcomes. Graduate earnings of $51,833 place the university around the national average at the 46th percentile, while the institution generates $6,802 below earnings expectations relative to student demographics and institutional characteristics.
Approximately 24.3% of Ball State graduates continue to graduate or professional study, indicating that roughly one in four students pursue advanced e...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Ball State's strongest earning programs cluster in business and health fields, with notable standouts in specialized areas. Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping leads earnings at $64,069, followed by Banking and Financial Support Services at $62,243 and Adult Health Nurse/Nursing at $61,062.
Business programs generally perform well, with Digital Marketing producing $55,837 and Business/Commerce, General earning $54,871 median outcomes. Communications programs like Advertising ($51,378) and Digital Communication and Media ($40,496) show competitive results for creative fields.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution at Ball State shows reasonable but not exceptional upside potential for graduates. The gap between 25th percentile earnings ($36,578) and 75th percentile earnings ($72,407) represents a 2:1 ratio, indicating moderate variation in career outcomes.
