Best Public Colleges in Indiana 2024

Badge for BEST IN INDIANA PUBLIC COLLEGES

Published: Mar 23, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Indiana provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.

10 Best Public Colleges in Indiana

Purdue University
Indiana University Bloomington
Ball State University
Indiana State University
Purdue Global
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University South Bend
Vincennes University
Indiana University East
University of Southern Indiana

Indiana University Bloomington
Purdue University
Indiana State University
Ball State University
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Vincennes University
Indiana University East
Purdue Global
Indiana University South Bend
University of Southern Indiana

University of Southern Indiana 94%
Indiana State University 92%
Indiana University South Bend 87%
Indiana University Kokomo 86%
Indiana University Southeast 85%
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 83%
Indiana University Bloomington 82%
Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne 81%
Indiana University Northwest 80%
Indiana University East 78%

Purdue Global 26 to 1
Vincennes University 23 to 1
Indiana University Bloomington 17 to 1
University of Southern Indiana 16 to 1
Indiana State University 16 to 1
Ball State University 15 to 1
Purdue University Northwest 15 to 1
Purdue University 14 to 1
Indiana University Kokomo 14 to 1
Indiana University East 13 to 1

Purdue Global $10,080
Indiana University Bloomington $10,012
Purdue University $9,718
Indiana State University $9,452
University of Southern Indiana $9,095
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $8,972
Ball State University $8,434
Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne $7,815
Indiana University East $7,274
Indiana University South Bend $7,274

University of Southern Indiana $10,117
Indiana University Bloomington $10,033
Purdue University $9,718
Ball State University $9,636
Purdue Global $9,472
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $9,366
Indiana State University $7,884
Indiana University East $7,746
Indiana University South Bend $7,746
Indiana University Southeast $7,746

Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne
Indiana University Kokomo
Indiana University Northwest
Indiana University Southeast
Purdue University Northwest
University of Southern Indiana
Indiana University East
Vincennes University
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne
Indiana University Kokomo
Purdue University Northwest
Indiana University Southeast
Indiana University Northwest
University of Southern Indiana
Indiana University South Bend
Purdue Global
Indiana University East
Vincennes University

Purdue University 53%
Ball State University 69%
Purdue University Northwest 73%
Indiana University East 78%
Indiana University Northwest 80%
Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne 81%
Indiana University Bloomington 82%
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 83%
Indiana University Southeast 85%
Indiana University Kokomo 86%

Indiana University South Bend 12 to 1
Indiana University Southeast 12 to 1
Indiana University Northwest 12 to 1
Indiana University East 13 to 1
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 13 to 1
Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne 13 to 1
Purdue University 14 to 1
Indiana University Kokomo 14 to 1
Ball State University 15 to 1
Purdue University Northwest 15 to 1

Vincennes University $6,116
Purdue University Northwest $7,038
Indiana University East $7,274
Indiana University South Bend $7,274
Indiana University Southeast $7,274
Indiana University Kokomo $7,274
Indiana University Northwest $7,274
Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne $7,815
Ball State University $8,434
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $8,972

Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne $5,945
Purdue University Northwest $6,021
Indiana University East $7,746
Indiana University South Bend $7,746
Indiana University Southeast $7,746
Indiana University Kokomo $7,746
Indiana University Northwest $7,746
Indiana State University $7,884
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $9,366
Purdue Global $9,472

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Indiana

Prospective students searching for both brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Indiana have many excellent options, including notable institutions like University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, and Butler University. Each boasts a high graduate rate, a wide variety of traditional and online degree programs, and numerous excellent undergraduate and graduate programs. The tuition and student population vary widely between these schools.

Indiana University Bloomington is the largest public university in Indiana. The state university is also noted for its high graduation rate, its large student population of roughly 40,000 students, and an in-state tuition rate just above the national average at $11,000.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Additionally, students hoping to attend a school with a religious affiliation have nearly 30 options to choose from. Both traditional and online students at these schools can study areas like engineering, business, philosophy, religious studies, and law.

The state of Indiana offers loan forgiveness-based financial aid programs for health care workers who work in areas with labor shortages as well as for lawyers providing public legal aid. Additionally, graduates of Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law pursuing public interest law can apply for a special grant program that will help cover the cost of preparing and sitting for the bar exam.

With town names like Popcorn and Santa Claus, Indiana clearly has a quirky personality. Along with these unique towns, Indiana also hosts the famous Indianapolis 500 auto race; boasts a thriving art scene; and has been home to iconic celebrities, including Larry Bird, James Dean, and David Letterman.

Students wanting to experience all Indiana has to offer while studying have the option of attending one of Indiana’s more than 50 higher education institutes. Most offer both traditional and online degrees, as well as a full array of undergraduate programs and advanced degrees.

Explore Indiana’s more than 50 colleges and universities to find a program and future career path that’s right for you.

What are Indiana’s Colleges & Universities?

Indiana’s Best Overall

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.

This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 15 public universities in Indiana. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Indiana, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.

How do we determine Indiana's best public colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Public Colleges in Indiana 2023

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Indiana’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.

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Best Public Colleges in Indiana 2024

10 Best Public Colleges in Indiana

Colleges and Universities in Indiana

What are Indiana’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Public Colleges in Indiana 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Purdue University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University Bloomington

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Ball State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana State University

Most Influential Alumni

Purdue Global’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University South Bend

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Vincennes University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University East

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Southern Indiana

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University Southeast

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University Northwest

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University Kokomo

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne

Most Influential Alumni

Indiana’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

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