Best colleges in Indiana
Become An Educated Hoosier
Honest to goodness Indiana
Indiana has long been nicknamed the “Hoosier State” for its great school spirit and unique community camaraderie. From a 39-student college of scientific therapeutics to a large state college system with thousands of potential graduates, Indiana leads the way in Midwest higher education.* Post-grad work opportunities include the powerhouse banking institution 1st Source Corp., Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, and ITT Educational Services. These employment prospects turn many students into lifelong Hoosiers.
Sports enthusiasts will have no time enjoying Indiana life, with attractions like a Colts football game or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hall of Fame Museum.* Check out the shops or enjoy the scenic outdoors while hiking or picnicking in Brown County. Jump off the limestone cliffs when no one is watching in Bloomington. Or take yourself out for a walk along the canal downtown. Lafayette offers the Columbian Park Zoo and Buccaneer Bay Indoor Aquatic Center, while Hammond is home to zippy bartenders at Dick’s R U Crazy. A growing microbrew culture, changing seasons, and Hoosier hospitality make Indiana a great place to learn and live – what more could an aspiring student ask for?
*Wikipedia, “Colleges and universities in Indiana” *www.in.gov/visitindianaBest Four Year Universities in Indiana
University of Notre Dame offers 174 degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2019, 3,605 students graduated with students earning 2,069 Bachelor's degrees, 1,102 Master's degrees, and 434 Doctoral degrees.
Purdue is a public university in West Lafayette, Indiana founded by John Purdue in 1869, and currently offers over 200 majors and 70 master’s programs in the fields of pharmaceuticals, nursing, and medicine. Purdue has a total undergraduate enrollment of about 40,000 students that attend classes on a campus that takes up just over 2,400 acres, with an academic calendar that operates on a semester system. Purdue has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1 which is on the smaller end for a large public institution.
Students at Purdue get to explore a sprawling campus and attend classes in historic buildings situated along with the Purdue and Memorial Malls. The school is known for its competitive engineering program that offers courses in both mechanical and civil engineering and has produced esteemed alumni including astronaut Neil Armstrong. Indiana residents should note that in-state students pay about half what out-of-state students pay for tuition and fees, which can make this school a competitive option for in-state applicants.
Purdue has established itself as a top research university through the investment in on-campus infrastructure and strategic partnerships with like-minded institutions. The Purdue Research Park is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to research and development by maintaining ongoing communication with companies in the manufacturing, IT, and life sciences sectors. Beyond academics, Purdue’s Boilermaker athletic teams compete in the BIG10 Conference, with an annual football rivalry with Indiana University’s Hoosiers in what is known locally as the Old Oaken Bucket. Notable alumni include Chopped host Ted Allen, popcorn tycoon Orville Redenbacher, and pilot Chesley Sullenberger.
DePauw University offers 55 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2019, 505 students graduated with students earning 505 Bachelor's degrees.
Wabash College offers 26 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2019, 198 students graduated with students earning 198 Bachelor's degrees.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology offers 33 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 521 students graduated with students earning 488 Bachelor's degrees, and 33 Master's degrees.
Earlham College offers 39 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2019, 216 students graduated with students earning 194 Bachelor's degrees, 21 Master's degrees, and 1 Certificate.
Indiana University, or IU, is a public university that was founded in 1820 in the college town of Bloomington, Indiana, just outside of Indianapolis. Founded as a seminary, IU is now a large research institution with a total undergraduate enrollment of about 40,000 students. The school’s campus covers over 1,000 acres with buildings made of locally-quarried Indiana Limestone, which was used to construct the historic core campus during the Great Depression. IU has a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, and Indiana residents receive in-state tuition.
IU’s campus includes over 20 specialty libraries, four museums, and a massive athletics facility with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a gym, and a track and field center for student-athletes. IU has 16 schools and over 500 majors to choose from, with internationally-renowned departments such as the Jacobs School of Music and the Kelley School of Business.
The Indiana University Hoosiers compete in the BIG10 conference and maintain a strong local rivalry with their neighbors, the Purdue Boilermakers. The Hoosier basketball team gained notoriety after Angelo Pizzo’s film Hoosiers debuted in 1986, chronicling the team’s meteoric rise to the national championship in 1954. Notable alumni include former Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, Mythbusters host Jamie Hyneman, and American songwriter Hoagy Carmichael.
Taylor University offers 85 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2019, 477 students graduated with students earning 459 Bachelor's degrees, 17 Master's degrees, and 1 Associate's degree.
Butler University offers 101 degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2019, 1,219 students graduated with students earning 833 Bachelor's degrees, 232 Master's degrees, 106 Doctoral degrees, and 48 Certificates.
Hanover College offers 39 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2019, 220 students graduated with students earning 220 Bachelor's degrees.
Best Community Colleges in Indiana
International Business College-Indianapolis offers 11 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2019, 166 students graduated with students earning 161 Associate's degrees, and 5 Certificates.
Ross Medical Education Center-Kokomo offers 6 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a small city. In 2019, 76 students graduated with students earning 74 Certificates, and 2 Associate's degrees.
Ross Medical Education Center-Granger offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a small city. In 2019, 108 students graduated with students earning 104 Certificates, and 4 Associate's degrees.
Ross Medical Education Center-Fort Wayne offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2019, 85 students graduated with students earning 84 Certificates, and 1 Associate's degree.
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis offers 12 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2019, 403 students graduated with students earning 284 Certificates, and 119 Associate's degrees.
Fortis College-Indianapolis offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2019, 139 students graduated with students earning 86 Certificates, and 53 Associate's degrees.
Ancilla College offers 29 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, two-year college in a faraway rural area. In 2019, 115 students graduated with students earning 115 Associate's degrees.
Ross Medical Education Center-Evansville offers 6 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2019, 60 students graduated with students earning 60 Certificates.
College of Court Reporting Inc offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2019, 7 students graduated with students earning 7 Associate's degrees.
Ivy Tech Community College offers 338 degree programs. It's a very large, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2019, 25,561 students graduated with students earning 16,651 Certificates, and 8,910 Associate's degrees.
List of all colleges in Indiana
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | 10 : 1 | 12,683 | |
|
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN | 22 : 1 | 45,500 | |
|
DePauw University Greencastle, IN | 9 : 1 | 1,972 | |
|
Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN | 9 : 1 | 867 | |
|
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, IN | 11 : 1 | 2,038 | |
|
Earlham College Richmond, IN | 8 : 1 | 998 | |
|
Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN | 20 : 1 | 43,260 | |
|
Taylor University Upland, IN | 16 : 1 | 2,173 | |
|
Butler University Indianapolis, IN | 14 : 1 | 5,515 | |
|
Hanover College Hanover, IN | 12 : 1 | 1,070 | |
|
Saint Mary's College Notre Dame, IN | 11 : 1 | 1,580 | |
|
University of Evansville Evansville, IN | 14 : 1 | 2,371 | |
|
Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN | 12 : 1 | 3,502 | |
|
International Business College-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN | 17 : 1 | 254 | |
|
Goshen College Goshen, IN | 15 : 1 | 907 | |
|
Marian University Indianapolis, IN | 24 : 1 | 3,519 | |
|
Huntington University Huntington, IN | 20 : 1 | 1,384 | |
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Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing Lafayette, IN | 143 | ||
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Franklin College Franklin, IN | 12 : 1 | 956 | |
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Ball State University Muncie, IN | 21 : 1 | 22,443 | |