Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges 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.
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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.
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 private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 27 private universities in Indiana. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Indiana, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
15%
Graduation
96%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1475/33
University of Notre Dame’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$54K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
83%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1235/25
DePauw University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
74%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1175/25
Valparaiso University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$49K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
73%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1220/26
Earlham College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$43K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
84%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1235/27
Butler University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
69%
Student body
2K
University of Evansville’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
83%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1220/25
Wabash College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
55%
Student body
1K
Manchester University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
71%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1105/24
Indiana Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
65%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1057/24
Goshen College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
74%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1164/25
Saint Mary's College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
77%
Student body
2K
Taylor University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
63%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1145/26
Hanover College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
63%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/21
Anderson College, Indiana’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
64%
Student body
4K
Marian University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
64%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/23
Trine University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
39%
Student body
2K
Indiana Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
62%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/19
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
61%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1060/22
Franklin College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$28K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
69%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/21
Huntington University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
63%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/21
University of Indianapolis’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Graduation
25%
Student body
<1K
Martin University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
68%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1225/30
Holy Cross College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$28K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
71%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1125/23
Grace College & Seminary’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
63%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1024/18
Oakland City University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
56%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1060/22
University of Saint Francis ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Graduation
24%
Student body
<1K
Calumet College of St. Joseph’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
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 private colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top private schools in every state.