Why This Matters

  • 55 COLLEGES IN INDIANA

    According to College Navigator, there are 55 colleges and universities in Indiana, including 15 public institutions, 36 private nonprofit colleges, and four private for-profit colleges.

  • $9,940 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    According to College Board, the average college student in Indiana paid a little under $10,000 in tuition and fees during the 2021-22 school year.

  • $14,800 FINANCIAL AID PER U.S. STUDENT

    Nationwide, the average full-time college student in the U.S. received this amount in financial aid during the 2020-21 school year.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar schools in Indiana. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a reputable organization that examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of education programs in the central United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for on-campus students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Colleges in Indiana

Best Colleges In Indiana
01
Intelligent Pick
University of Notre Dame
01
Best Public School
Purdue University
01
Best Student Activities
Indiana University Bloomington
01
Best Alumni Network
Ball State University
01
Best Student-to-Faculty Ratio
DePauw University
01
Best Private School
Valparaiso University
01
Best Research Institution
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
01
Best Medical Degrees
University of Indianapolis
01
Best Men's Institution
Wabash College
01
Best Christian School
Earlham College
01

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
01

Goshen College
01

Hanover College
01

Butler University
01

Taylor University
01

Saint Mary's College

 

What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Indiana

When deciding where to pursue your bachelor’s degree, consider whether your chosen state has career opportunities in your field of study. Choosing a state that offers jobs relevant to your major may make it easier to find a job after graduating. In Indiana, the top five industries include goods-producing; trade, transportation, and utilities; manufacturing; education and health services; and government.

Indiana has a strong economy with nearly 600 growing occupations. Between 2020 and 2030, the top five occupations in Indiana that require a bachelor’s degree and are projected to experience the most growth include information security analysts, logisticians, and medical and health services managers.

Indiana is home to numerous large employers, including Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus, Eli Lilly & Company, Roche Diagnostics Corporation, Rolls-Royce Corporation, and Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Incorporated. A full list of the state’s top 150 employers in Indiana can be found here.

What’s Next?

Most Indiana students receive financial aid to help cover the cost of higher education. We’ve put together a list of federal and state resources that can connect you with grants, scholarships, and loans.

  • Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education makes college affordable for Hoosiers by providing need-based and non-need-based scholarships and grants. It also offers information on preparing and applying for college, submitting high school transcripts for free, and transferring from one college to another.
  • Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The U.S. Department of Education uses a student’s FAFSA application to determine their eligibility for need-based financial aid. To find out if you’re eligible to submit a FAFSA application, visit the FAFSA4caster.
  • CareerOneStop. CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and provides a comprehensive list of scholarships and grants available in Indiana. You can filter results based on your state and the level of education you’re pursuing and see helpful information regarding application deadlines and qualifications.