Top 6 Best Colleges in Indiana | Ranking | Top Public & Private Colleges in Indiana State (Reviews & Comparison)

Table: Top 6 Best Colleges in Indiana | Above list is sorted alphabetically

How to Make the Most of a Tour or Visit to Top Colleges in Indiana

When you’re trying to decide which of the colleges in Indiana to attend, you’ll likely take college tours or visits. It’s essential to make the most of your visits to colleges in Indiana, and the following are some tips to help you do that.

• When you’re visiting colleges in Indiana, try to get out and about and talk to actual students. You don’t just want to hear the perspective of your tour guide; you want to know how actual students feel about the school.
• When you’re visiting the best colleges in Indiana, you may also be able to arrange to speak to a professor while you’re there. Try to connect with someone who teaches in the major you plan on declaring.
• Attending a class is one of the best things you can do as you visit top colleges in Indiana.
• You should also try to go out on your own away from your official tour.
• Read a copy of the student newspaper while you’re on campus at Indiana colleges to see real issues that are happening there.

These are just a few of the small things you can do to get an authentic feel for colleges in Indiana during your campus visits.

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Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Colleges in Indiana

Below, please find the detailed review of each of the top colleges in Indiana. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these Indiana colleges to score so well in our selection ranking.

Ball State University Review

Ball State University is a public research university located in Muncie with satellite campuses in Fishers and Indianapolis. Ball State was established in 1918 and has more than 21,000 students.  

Key Features of This College That Led to Its Ranking as One of the Best Colleges in Indiana

This college in Indiana is included on this list of the top colleges in Indiana for reasons like the ones below.

Opportunities Outside the Classroom

For students of Ball State, there are opportunities to excel not just in the classroom but also outside of it. For example, there are hundreds of groups and clubs dedicated to leadership and team-building, as well as internship opportunities. Students can take advantage of study abroad options as well, such as urban planning internationally or volunteer and service-based opportunities around the world.

Campus

The campus of Ball State, one of the best colleges in Indiana, spans more than 730 acres, and there is an additional 400 acres of research property. The campus includes facilities like the David Owsley Museum of Art with more than 11,000 works, and the Fine Arts Terrace.

There’s also the Bracken Library, Emens Auditorium, and the Frog Baby Fountain.

There is the John E. Worthen Arena, which is the home to the central campus athletic facilities, free university shuttle service, and many more facilities that make this an excellent campus to study on.

Image Source: BSU

Academics

At this large leader among public colleges in Indiana, students can enjoy in-state tuition as well as many academic opportunities. For example, students can take advantage of seven associate, nearly 180 bachelor’s, almost 100 master’s, two specialist, and approximately 20 doctoral degrees.

There are eight academic colleges, the student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, and this pick for one of the leading Indiana state colleges is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

Butler University Review

Butler University is one of the leading private colleges in Indiana that’s located in Indianapolis and was founded in 1855.

Key Features of This Selection for One of the Top Private Colleges In Indiana

Primary reasons Butler is on this list of the leading private colleges in Indiana and overall best colleges in Indiana are below.

Student Life

Students at Butler, one of the top Indiana colleges, get the advantages of being just a few miles from downtown Indianapolis. The school is located near the trendy Broad Ripple neighborhood with a variety of restaurants and night spots, and Greek life is very popular at Butler. In fact, more than 1/3 of the student body participates in Greek Life.

Other prominent student organizations include The Collegian student newspapers, the Butler Chorale, and the Butler Bulldogs sports teams.  

Rankings

Butler isn’t just one of the best private colleges in Indiana. This college in Indiana also ranks well at the national level.

It has many top rankings, but perhaps most notable is the fact that it’s ranked as the #2 Regional University in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report, and the outlet also names it #2 on their list of the best colleges for veterans. It’s #6 on their ranking of the best schools for undergraduate teaching.

Academics

At Butler, the focus regarding academics is an innovative, engaging learning environment with a foundation in liberal arts. There is a 95% placement rate for graduates of this college in Indiana, and hands-on learning and real-world experience are essential to the education students receive here.

For example, first-year education students may be immersed in classroom environments, while business students may work in startup companies.

There are ample service-learning opportunities, international educational opportunities, and more.

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Indiana State University Review

Indiana State University is located in Terre Haute and is recognized as one of the largest Indiana state colleges and one of the best public colleges in Indiana. Among in-state colleges in Indiana, Indiana State excels in many areas.  

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top Colleges in Indiana

Indiana State University is on this list of Indiana colleges that are the best for reasons like the ones detailed below.

Rankings and Recognition

Indiana State, one of the best public colleges in Indiana, is often recognized by media outlets and education organizations. For example, Forbes calls Indiana State one of America’s top colleges for quality and value, while the Princeton Review names it among the best schools in the Midwest.

Washington Monthly also names it as one of the top three schools in the nation for community service.

Cost and Aid

Indiana State is one of the top Indiana state colleges, and they strive to make the cost of attending as affordable and attainable as possible. Indiana State offers $13.5 million in scholarships and annual awards to help students cover the cost.

There are scholarships specifically for incoming first-year students, and many require no application. Qualified incoming students can automatically earn these scholarships. Most are also renewable for students who maintain a high GPA.

Eighty percent of full-time undergraduates receive scholarships and grants, 76% of full-time freshmen receive scholarships and grants, and 51% of incoming freshmen receive Indiana State laptop scholarships.

Academic Programs

Indiana State University, one of the best public colleges in Indiana and a leader among Indiana state colleges, offers more than 100 majors and more than 60 online programs. There are opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students, and this pick for one of the leading Indiana colleges also has an Honors Program.

The University Honors Program combines classes and experiences to maximize students’ education, and the Honors Director and faculty work on a close basis with every student to develop a personalized academic program.

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Indiana University Bloomington Review

One of the top public colleges in Indiana, Indiana University Bloomington is one of the largest Indiana state colleges. It’s a research university that’s the flagship institution of the Indiana University System.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Colleges in Indiana

Primary reasons this is included in this ranking of the top colleges in Indiana, including in-state colleges and public colleges in Indiana, are below.

Academic Programs

This college in Indiana offers the widest variety of academic programs of any of the colleges in Indiana included in this ranking. There are more than 550 academic programs available, and many are also flexible so students can find the right program for them.

Undergraduates have the option to create an individualized major as well, and in addition to stand-alone degrees and certificates, there are also area certificates that can be earned along with a degree.

Student Life  

Along with academics, Indiana University is one of the top colleges in Indiana because of the vibrant student life. There are more than 750 student organizations on campus, and many students participate in Greek Life.

The sports teams compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference, and the town of Bloomington is one of the liveliest college towns in the country.

There are regular arts and entertainment events like the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival, the Indiana University Outdoor Adventures Program, and the Little 500, which is the biggest collegiate bike race in the country.

Career Development

Career development is a core focus of getting an education at this leader among Indiana state colleges. At this college in Indiana, students can visit one of more than 12 career centers located on campus.

The career development process starts as soon as a student comes to Indiana University, and it includes nine steps designed to help students explore their options and learn what’s right for them.

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Purdue University Review

One of the best public colleges in Indiana, Purdue University is a public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. It’s the main campus of the Purdue University System.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top Indiana Colleges

Among the many public colleges in Indiana, private colleges in Indiana and best colleges in Indiana generally, the following are specifics of why Purdue is included in this ranking.

Rankings

Purdue is well-ranked by many national and international organizations and media outlets. Some of the outlets that have ranked them well include U.S. News & World Report, which claims Purdue excels in specific areas, including graduate education, graduate engineering, graduate management, and undergraduate programs.

This selection for one of the top Indiana colleges has also been ranked well by Times Higher Education, Smart Money, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Engineering

Purdue, one of the leading colleges in Indiana, particularly among public colleges in Indiana, excels in most areas of academics, and they have both undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 200 areas of study.

However, there are a few places where Purdue is particularly well-known for its academic rigor and quality. These include engineering as well as aviation and aeronautics.

U.S. News and World Report also ranks it as #60 among all national universities.

Research

Purdue spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on research, and the school has more than 400 research labs. It’s considered by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education to have very high research activity.

It was also ranked as one of the best places to work in academics by The Scientist Magazine. Some of the research focuses at Purdue include agriculture, business and economy, education, engineering, environment, healthcare, culture, technology, and veterinary medicine.

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Taylor University Review

Taylor University is unique from the other public colleges in Indiana (and large colleges in Indiana included in this ranking) because it’s one of the best small colleges in Indiana. It’s also one of the only private colleges in Indiana included in this ranking.

Image Source: Taylor

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Small Colleges in Indiana

Taylor is included on this list of the top Indiana colleges and specifically as one of the best small colleges in Indiana for the reasons below.

Rankings

One of the primary reasons Taylor, which is one of the small colleges in Indiana that’s also a Christian liberal arts school, is included on this list is because of rankings from other media outlets. For example, U.S. News and World Report ranked Taylor as the number one regional college in the Midwest. This has been the case since 2006.

It’s also a leader in other categories, including student retention, graduation rate, and the percentage of first-year students who were in the top 10 percent of their graduating high school class.

Classes

As one of the best small colleges in Indiana and private colleges in Indiana, Taylor has a distinct advantage regarding class size. This pick for one of the best private colleges in Indiana has a student-faculty ratio of 13:1.

Nearly 60 percent of all the classes offered at Taylor have fewer than 20 students as well, so as with other leading private colleges in Indiana, students get a personalized education experience.

Sense of Community

Student life at Taylor, frequently ranked as one of the best private colleges in Indiana, is built on a concept of community. Residence halls aren’t divided by class year to encourage people to meet everyone, and students participate in chapel multiple times a week. There are traditions that the school holds on to, and the school is often ranked as having some of the friendliest students in the country.

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Conclusion — Top 6 Best Colleges in Indiana

The names on this ranking of the top colleges in Indiana are diverse in what they offer students. For example, this list includes small colleges in Indiana like Taylor University, as well as the Indiana state colleges and public colleges in Indiana that are very large with tens of thousands of students.

Whether it’s one of the private colleges in Indiana or one of the public colleges in Indiana, each name on this list of top Indiana colleges has a diverse student body, unique campus life, and excellent academic programs and opportunities.

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