Colleges in Indiana
Ranked, compared, and filtered by real data: costs, outcomes, and admissions
About Indiana
Purdue's engineering and pharmacy programs have made it a consistent destination for students who want a major research university experience without the sticker shock of elite private tuition.
Indiana University in Bloomington balances that with a strong medical school, one of the country's better music programs, and a law school with national reach. Two genuinely different flagship universities sharing a state give Indiana students more choices than the state's size might suggest.
By Ownership
By Type
Why Study in Indiana?
- Frank O'Bannon & 21st Century Scholars Frank O'Bannon Grant and 21st Century Scholars program assist income-qualifying Indiana students.
- Nationally competitive engineering Purdue engineering programs rank nationally at a public university price — a genuinely strong combination.
- Indianapolis life sciences sector Life sciences and technology sectors in Indianapolis create strong STEM career demand for graduates.
- Low cost of living Cost of living is among the lowest in the Midwest, stretching student and graduate budgets further.
- Rural internship barriers Rural geography limits internship and networking opportunities at regional campuses outside Indianapolis and Bloomington.
- Below-average per-capita investment The state invests less per capita in higher education than many comparable Midwestern states.
- Brain drain to larger cities Brain drain toward Chicago and Columbus is common among Indiana graduates in professional and knowledge-economy fields.
How Indiana Compares
See how Indiana's colleges compare to the national average on the four measures most students and families weigh when deciding where to go: cost, acceptance rates, graduate earnings, and graduation rates.
Top Colleges in Indiana
The colleges in Indiana that rank highest by UCD Score, and those that deliver above-national graduate earnings at a below-average net price, two of the strongest signals when choosing a school.
Highest UCD Score
University of Notre Dame
Indiana University-Bloomington
DePauw University
Goshen College
Indiana University-Indianapolis
Best Value Colleges
Indiana University-Kokomo
Indiana University-Northwest
Purdue University Northwest
Indiana University-Southeast
Indiana University-East
Chamberlain University-Indiana
Best Colleges by Goal
Not every student is looking for the same thing. These six panels rank Indiana's colleges by the data that matters most for each path.
Nursing & Health
Ranked by annual graduates
-
1
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis$37,186
-
2
Purdue University Global West Lafayette$36,596
-
3
Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis$55,198
Engineering
Ranked by annual graduates
-
1
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette$72,424
-
2
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame$99,980
-
3
Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis$55,198
Business
Ranked by annual graduates
-
1
Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington$63,742
-
2
Purdue University Global West Lafayette$36,596
-
3
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis$37,186
Most Affordable
Ranked by net price
-
1
Indiana University-Kokomo Kokomo$3,968
- 2 $5,130
-
3
Purdue University Northwest Hammond$6,079
Community Colleges
Ranked by enrollment
-
1
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis$7,258
-
2
MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis Indianapolis$26,182
-
3
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis Indianapolis$28,371
Highest Earnings
Ranked by grad earnings
-
1
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute$101,253
-
2
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame$99,980
-
3
Chamberlain University-Indiana Indianapolis$92,405
Career Outcomes & ROI
Which colleges give you the most for what you spend? These eight schools rank highest in Indiana by the ratio of 10-year graduate earnings to annual net price.
| # | College | Net Price / yr | Earnings (10yr) | Ratio | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana University-Kokomo Kokomo | $3,968 | $49,917 | 12.6× | Excellent |
| 2 | Indiana University-Northwest Gary | $5,130 | $43,361 | 8.5× | Excellent |
| 3 | Purdue University Northwest Hammond | $6,079 | $48,318 | 8.0× | Excellent |
| 4 | Indiana University-Southeast New Albany | $7,888 | $47,596 | 6.0× | Excellent |
| 5 | Indiana University-East Richmond | $8,134 | $47,156 | 5.8× | Excellent |
| 6 | Chamberlain University-Indiana Indianapolis | $16,149 | $92,405 | 5.7× | Excellent |
| 7 | Indiana University-South Bend South Bend | $8,653 | $44,947 | 5.2× | Excellent |
| 8 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis | $7,258 | $37,186 | 5.1× | Excellent |
ROI Ratio = median earnings 10 years after enrollment ÷ annual net price. Higher is better.
Popular Majors in Indiana
The six fields of study with the most annual graduates across all colleges in Indiana, based on IPEDS completion data.
Health
Business
Liberal Arts
Education
Computer Science
Engineering
Top Programs in Indiana
The specific degree programs producing the most graduates across Indiana's colleges. A more granular view than the Popular Majors above, useful when you already know roughly what you want to study and want to see where the volume is.
Top Careers in Indiana
Careers with a strong employment footprint in Indiana. What graduates from local colleges actually go on to do. State-level employment is shown where the BLS publishes it; national wage + growth shown alongside.
Colleges by City in Indiana
The cities in Indiana with the most colleges, ranked by number of institutions.
- Indianapolis 12 colleges
- Fort Wayne 5 colleges
- Notre Dame 3 colleges
- Angola 2 colleges
- Evansville 2 colleges
- Jeffersonville 2 colleges
- Marion 2 colleges
- Richmond 2 colleges
- South Bend 2 colleges
- Terre Haute 2 colleges
- Valparaiso 2 colleges
- West Lafayette 2 colleges
- Anderson 1 college
- Bloomington 1 college
- Crawfordsville 1 college
- Crown Point 1 college
- Franklin 1 college
- Gary 1 college
Frequently Asked Questions
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