Key differences on Outcomes
- 1
Ball State grads earn $2.4K more ten years out than Western Carolina's ($51,833 vs. $49,458)
Median earnings, 10 yrs - 2
Western Carolina graduates 0 pts more of its students than Ball State (65% vs. 65%)
Graduation rate
Outcomes
Outcomes
Earnings and finishing
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Ball State$51.8KHighest
Western Carolina$49.5K
Graduation rate
Ball State65%
Western Carolina65%Highest
Retention rate
Ball State78%
Western Carolina79%Highest
Borrowing
Median debt
Ball State$23.3K
Western Carolina$21.9KLowest
Undergrads with a federal loan
Ball State43%
Western Carolina44%
Median debt, Pell Grant recipients
Ball State$16.8K
Western Carolina$16.5KLowest
Eight-year outcomes
Credential within 4 years, all students
Ball State51%
Western Carolina50%
Credential within 8 years, all students
Ball State64%
Western Carolina64%
Enrolled at another college, 8 years on
Ball State24%
Western Carolina25%
Graduation by group
Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients
Ball State53%
Western Carolina55%
Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan
Ball State70%
Western Carolina63%
Pell graduation gap
Ball State17 pts lower
Western Carolina8 pts lower
Graduated in 6 years, by race and ethnicity
| Group | Ball State | Western Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| White | 65% | 62% |
| Asian | 65% | Not shown: under 30 students |
| Hispanic/Latino | 53% | 58% |
| Black | 51% | 48% |
| Two or more races | 54% | 52% |
| International | Not shown: under 30 students | Not shown: under 30 students |
Sources:College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why