Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana, is a wonderful location to grab a degree. Indiana has a good number of midsize colleges and small liberal arts schools. There are also top colleges in Indiana like Purdue University.
However, while ensuring to get a college in Indianapolis that is pocket-friendly, you have to check its accreditation status. You may choose an online college or university in Indianapolis, Indiana as they also provide cheap and quality education.
Whether you wish to study at the undergraduate or graduate level, you will surely find a university in Indianapolis for you. Most institutions in Indiana have a good national ranking and offer exciting programs for students in every academic discipline.
We have updated the cheapest colleges and universities in Indianapolis where you can get a degree of your choice to study. While this will save you the stress of having to research these schools yourself, we owe you an explanation of why these schools make the list.
Ranking Methodology
To ascertain the cheapest colleges in Indianapolis, several factors come into play. Tuition fees, Graduation Rate, Accreditation status, Student to Faculty Ratio, and Mode of Study. Although tuition is the most important factor to determine the affordability of a college or university, the interplay of these other factors will stand to affect your decision.
Accreditation status, for example, determines how worthy your degree would be after graduation. Studying a professional program hugely depends on this. So, you have to ensure that you’re not penny-wise pound foolish.
The student-to-faculty ratio, on the other, determines the quality of attention you’ll get from your professors. A lower student-to-faculty ratio implies that you get the utmost value for your money. It implies that the professor may not have to struggle through the noise of a large crowd of students to give you the personal academic assistance you deserve.
Also, you’ll want to know the ratio of students who graduate from your college of choice. The higher the graduation rate, the greater your chances of graduating at the end of your program duration.
Finally, the mode of the study also plays an important role in determining how affordable a college is. Online programs are almost always cheaper than studying the same program on-campus.
Therefore, to get you the cheapest colleges in Indianapolis we have combined all these factors. Even though the cheapest school on our list will have the lowest tuition, it will also have a reasonable mix of other factors.
Online Colleges in Indianapolis
The preference for online study is growing and schools that had formerly offered only on-campus education are extending to cover the online program demand.
We are separately ranking the best ten (10) online schools in this section so you make your selection decision if you are interested in only studying online in Indianapolis.
However, these schools still go ahead to rank in the cheapest colleges in Indianapolis, only not in the same position they occupy in the online category.
Therefore, we will go ahead to list the top ten cheapest online colleges in Indiana based on tuition, and of course, the silent interplay of the other factors.
Here are the cheapest online colleges in Indiana per credit unit:
- Indiana University East – $224.22
- Purdue University – $329.05
- Ball State University – $414
- Indiana University – $445
- Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College – $496
- Indiana Wesleyan University – $887
- The University of Indianapolis – $994.80
- Indiana State University – $592
- Marian University – $1,458
- Butler University – $580
List of the 17 Cheapest Colleges in Indianapolis
Our list of cheapest colleges in Indianapolis consist of both online and on-campus universities. Again, we ranked these schools based on tuition fees, accreditation status, graduation rate, and student to faculty ratio.
#1. Indiana University East
This public university is located in Richmond, Indiana, and is a regional campus of Indiana University. IU East also has accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
This cheap online Indiana University gives its students the chance to choose from more than 60 academic programs while participating in 11 sports teams and more than 30 organizations and clubs.
Additionally, IU East enrolls more than 4,000 students both at its traditional campus as well as online. This Indiana college provides undergraduate and graduates degrees in areas like business administration, education, and general studies.
IU East has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 14:1 and a graduation rate of 36 percent.
Also, this cheap Indiana online university charges In-State Tuition of $7,344 and Out-of-State Tuition of $19,400.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#2. Indiana University Southeast
This affordable public university is located in New Albany, Indiana. Indiana University Southeast is a regional campus of Indiana Campus.
Also, it has accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This Indiana college enrolls more than 7,100 students, of which more than 6,300 are undergraduates.
Indiana University Southeast is known for its affordable bachelor’s programs in education, nursing, and business.
Meanwhile, the university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degrees through its schools of social sciences, nursing, natural sciences, education, business, arts and letters, and general studies.
Indiana University Southeast has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 14:1 and a graduation rate of 32 percent.
Also, this regional Indiana university charges In-State Tuition of $7,344 and Out-of-State Tuition of $19,400.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#3. Indiana University Kokomo
This public university is located in Kokomo, Indiana and is one of Indiana University’s regional campuses. Indiana University Kokomo (IUK) has accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCA).
The university has a total enrollment of 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students. Thus, offering one-on-one support and rigorous academic programs to prepare students for entry-level positions in the workforce.
You can get a good number of undergraduate degrees from IUK including psychology, nuclear medicine technology, the humanities, and applied science.
IUK has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 16:1 and a graduation rate of 39 percent.
Also, this regional Indiana university charges In-State Tuition of $7,344 and Out-of-State Tuition of $19,400.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#4. Indiana University South Bend
This affordable public university is located in South Bend as one of Indiana University’s campus. IU South is Indiana University’s third-largest Campus, and it also has accreditation by the HLC.
This Indiana college offers cheap online degree programs to about 5,200 students at the Elkhart Center, as well as at its South Bend campus.
The university provides courses to students through its schools and colleges including liberal arts and sciences, education, and business and economics.
IU South has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 13:1 and a graduation rate of 29 percent.
Also, this regional Indiana university charges In-State Tuition of $7,344 and Out-of-State Tuition of $19,400.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#5. Indiana University Northwest
This university is located in Gary, Indiana as a regional campus of Indiana University. Indiana University (IU) Northwest has regional accreditation by Higher Learning Commission.
IU Northwest offers students certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in more than 70 areas of study. Students can also take these degree programs either on-campus or through hybrid delivery – online and in-person.
This Indiana college offers its courses through its faculties which include the College of Health and Human Services, School of Education, and School of Business and Economics.
IU Northwest has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 14:1 and a graduation rate of 28 percent.
Also, this regional Indiana university charges In-State Tuition of $7,344 and Out-of-State Tuition of $19,400.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#6. Purdue University
This public research university is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and is the flagship school of the Purdue University System.
Purdue University also has accreditation by HLC and has an annual enrollment of about 41,500 students. While Purdue University has five locations, it also has Purdue Global and Purdue University Online.
This cheap Indiana online college offers more than 200 undergraduate majors, 60 master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as professional programs in veterinary medicine and pharmacy.
Purdue provides education to its students through 13 schools and colleges. It also provides its students the opportunity to earn a joint bachelor’s and master’s degree.
You may also check out Purdue University’s Admission, Courses, Ranking, and Tuition Fees to plan for your degree in your study.
Purdue has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 13:1 and a graduation rate of 78 percent.
Also, this cheap Indiana online university charges In-State Tuition of $9,992 and Out-of-State Tuition of $28,794.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#7. Ball State University
This public coeducational research university is located in Muncie, Indiana, and has two satellite campuses in Indianapolis and Fishers.
Ball State University also has accreditation by the HLC. This online Indianapolis college offers cheap undergraduate degrees in over 175 areas of study.
This Indiana University provides these degrees through seven academic colleges including the humanities, fine arts, education, and applied sciences.
Additionally, Ball State University has gained national recognition in its education, telecommunications, and architecture programs.
Furthermore, this online Indianapolis college offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor’s in three years through its “Degree in 3” program.
Ball State University has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 17:1 and a graduation rate of 62 percent.
Also, this cheap Indiana online university charges In-State Tuition of $9,896 and Out-of-State Tuition of $26,468.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#8. Indiana State University
This public university is located in Terre Haute, Indiana and like most of the Indiana universities, it has accreditation by the HLC.
Indiana State University (ISU) offers 100 undergraduate majors, 90 minors, as well as 75 professional and graduate programs. ISU also offers online education inasmuch as it offers on-campus learning.
Additionally, this Indiana online university has five colleges including the College of Technology, College of Health and Human Services, and College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
One of the beauties of studying online at ISU is that the university gives you access to a laptop-lending program, lounges, and scholarships.
ISU has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 21:1 and a graduation rate of 39 percent.
Also, this Indiana online university charges In-State Tuition of $9,090 and Out-of-State Tuition of $19,836.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#9. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
This Indiana University is a merger between Indiana University Indianapolis and the Purdue Indianapolis Extension Center which happened in 1969.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Meanwhile, IUPUI is a core campus of Indiana University and enrolls over 28,700 students, 20,000 of which are undergraduates.
In addition to its on-campus facility, IUPUI also offers online courses. This online Indianapolis college offers over 350 affordable academic programs through its 18 schools.
Thus, its students can get a degree in fields of study such as public relations, nursing, informatics, and cryotechnology.
IUPUI has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 17:1 and a graduation rate of 45 percent.
Also, this cheap Indianapolis online university charges In-State Tuition of $9,465 and Out-of-State Tuition of $29,821.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#10. Indiana University Bloomington
This university is located in Bloomington, Indiana and is the largest of the Indiana University System with a total enrollment of over 48,000 students. This Indiana University also has accreditation by the HLC.
Additionally, IU Bloomington is a Public Ivy university. This means that it offers a quality of education that is comparable to the Ivy League schools. The university offers over 550 affordable academic programs, of which over 200 are towards an undergraduate degree.
Furthermore, This cheap Indiana University is famous for its commitment to civic engagement, appreciation for cultural diversity, and rigorous academic programs.
You may also check out this $100,000 UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity and apply today.
IU Bloomington has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 17:1 and a graduation rate of 77 percent.
Also, this regional Indiana university charges In-State Tuition of $10,680 and Out-of-State Tuition of $35,456.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#11. Crossroads Bible College
This Indiana college is a private undergraduate Bible college located in Indianapolis. Also, Crossroads Bible College has accreditation by the Association for Biblical Higher Education Commission.
CBC’s programs are both on-campus and online, through a one-, five-, and 15-week formats.
This Indianapolis college offers five affordable Bachelor of Science degrees. Students may choose from Biblical Counseling and Equipping, Leadership and Ministry, Organizational Leadership, Urban Leadership, and Interdisciplinary Studies.
Even though this Indianapolis university’s tuition is affordable, approximately 90 percent of CBC’s students receive some form of financial aid.
CBC has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 13:1 and a graduation rate of 68 percent.
Also, this Indianapolis college charges In-State Tuition of $12,400 and Out-of-State Tuition of $12,400.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
If you’re not interested in this Indianapolis Bible college, you may also check out these top 25 Affordable Online Bible Colleges.
#12. Butler University
Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis. U.S News & World Report’s 2019 Best Colleges ranks as it as the number one (1) Midwest Regional Universities in the U.S.
This Indianapolis college also has accreditation from the HLC. Additionally, Butler offers over 60 major academic fields of study, 8 of which are pre-professional programs, and 19 are graduate programs.
Also, Butler offers its programs in six colleges and schools, including Andre B. Lacy School of Business, College of Communication, and College of Education.
Meanwhile, Butler’s online learning is the perfect place in Indianapolis to acquire an online Master’s degree. This Indianapolis online university has a fully online Master of Science in Risk and Insurance.
This online Indianapolis university has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 11:1 and a graduation rate of 77.8 percent.
Also, this Indianapolis online university charges In-State Tuition of $20,685 and Out-of-State Tuition of $20,685. However, it’s online tuition costs $580 per credit hour.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#13. Oakland City University
This General Baptist-affiliated university is located in Oakland City, Indiana. Oakland City University also has accreditation by the HLC and has about 2,350 undergraduates.
Meanwhile, this Indiana university places a strong emphasis on Christian values, service, and faith.
In addition to Undergraduate programs, OCU also offers graduate programs through its five schools namely: professional studies, religious studies, education, business, and the arts and sciences. In as much as this Indiana college offers on-campus learning, it also provides a cheap online learning environment for its students.
OCU has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 12:1 and a graduation rate of 53 percent.
Also, this cheap Indiana online university charges In-State Tuition of $24,000 and Out-of-State Tuition of $24,000.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#14. Indiana Wesleyan University
This Christian liberal arts university is located in Marion, Indiana. Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) has an affiliation with the Wesleyan Church and is the largest private university in Indiana.
Also, IWU has accreditation by HLC and enrolls over 13,800 students annually, 3,000 of which are at its Marion campus.
Additionally, this Indiana offers online learning in as much as it offers on-campus programs. You can choose out of over 80 graduate and undergraduate programs to get a degree from IWU.
Some of IWU’s unique degrees are biblical literature, recreation management, music therapy, and convergent journalism.
If you’ll be studying journalism at Indiana Wesleyan University, then you may also need to check out these 25 Undergraduate Scholarships for Journalism Students.
IWU has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 14:1 and a graduation rate of 63 percent.
Also, this cheap Indiana online university charges In-State Tuition of $26,630 and Out-of-State Tuition of $26,630.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#15. The University of Indianapolis
This four-year, private university has an affiliation with the United Methodist Church and is located in Indianapolis.
University of Indianapolis (UIndy) has an enrollment of over 7,200 students who take both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
UIndy also has accreditation by the HLC and offers over 100 programs. In addition to its on-campus learning facility, this Indianapolis college also provides online learning to its students.
Furthermore, UIndy is notable as one of the top colleges for aspiring occupational and physical therapists as well as clinical psychologists. However, this online Indianapolis college offers non-health majors such as communication, education, and business.
You may find these 25 Business Administration Scholarships for Undergraduate Students useful if you’ll be studying business as UIndy.
UIndy has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 13:1 and a graduation rate of 56 percent.
Also, this Indianapolis online university charges In-State Tuition of $29,688 and Out-of-State Tuition of $29,688.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#16. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
This is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) also has accreditation by the HLC and it enrolls over 1,700 students annually.
Additionally, SMWC offers its students the opportunity to choose from over 40 academic programs. In as much as SMWC offers on-campus learning, its online learning is one of the best around Indianapolis.
Furthermore, at the bachelor’s level, SMWC offers 25 programs on-campus and 13 online. Some of the programs SMWC offers are special education and teaching, nursing, business, education, and psychology.
SMWC has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 8:1 and a graduation rate of 57 percent.
Also, this cheap Indiana online university charges In-State Tuition of $29,960 and Out-of-State Tuition of $29,960.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
#17. Marian University
This is a private, non-profit Roman Catholic university located in Indianapolis. Marian University has accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Also, as of 2017, 2,431 of Marian University students are undergraduate students, 1,164 are graduate students, and 650 are medical students.
This university is great for students who are interested in earning an online degree in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The school offers 40 majors, 46 minors, and 26 concentrations through its five (5) colleges including Clark H. Byrum School of Business, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and College of Arts and Sciences.
These 51+ Scholarships are for Catholic Students, you may also check them out.
This Indianapolis online university has a Student-to-Faculty Ratio of 14:1 and a graduation rate of 54 percent.
Also, this Indianapolis online university charges In-State Tuition of $35,000 and Out-of-State Tuition of $35,000. However, it’s online tuition costs $1,458 per credit hour.
Find out more about this Indiana college using the link below:
Top Industries, Careers, and Employers in Indianapolis
One of the reasons you would consider studying in Indianapolis is the future of your chosen career. Most students decide to start up a career in the location where they schooled.
If you consider studying in Indianapolis and building a career afterward, you should know over the past two decades, Indianapolis has worked on becoming become a major financial, commercial, and industrial center.
Presently, the key industries where you can grow a flourishing career in Indianapolis are Life Sciences, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics, Advanced Manufacturing, Clean-Tech Energy, Information Technology, and Motor Sports. Additionally, occupations in Health Care and Social Services, Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, and Administrative and Support Services have shown a high growth rate in Indianapolis. The same as Professional, Scientific & Technical, and Transportation & Warehousing.
Furthermore, some of the largest companies in Indiana where you can get a job after graduation include Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, and FedEx Hub Facility. You can also get exciting opportunities at Decatur County Memorial Hospital, Monarch Beverage Co., and RCI.
Healthcare is among one of the employers in the above listed top employers. This industry has been growing and would have the most growth over the next decade. This is because Health care is one of the industries in the Indiana economy that has shown the most growth over the past five years.
Conclusion
Indianapolis is the capital of Indiana, USA, and it is a perfect location to study, with its league of on-campus and online universities.
However, while streamlining your pick of college to study in Indianapolis, you may like to consider other factors aside from the affordability of the program.
Some of these factors include the Indianapolis college accreditation status, graduation rate, student to faculty ratio, and online learning.
Our post combines these factors brilliantly to rank the cheapest universities in Indianapolis and surrounding locations in Indiana where you can grab a degree.
FAQ: Cheapest Colleges in Indianapolis, Online & Fees
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there are 164 colleges, universities, technical and vocational schools, career academies and other postsecondary educational institutions in the state of Indiana.
Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business is ranked 10th in new rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report and continues to be ranked second among its Big Ten peers. Kelley’s entrepreneurship specialty continues to be No. 1 among public schools and third overall.
Getting into college in Indiana with a low SAT score.
Purdue University North Central Campus. Westville, Indiana • Public 4 Year.
Saint Josephs College.
Purdue University Calumet Campus.
Saint Mary of the Woods College.
Indiana University Northwest.
Anderson University.
Indiana State University.
Indiana University Kokomo.
Founded in 1820, Indiana University-Bloomington is the largest university in the state and the flagship campus of the IU system in southwest Indiana. IU encompasses 16 colleges and schools hosting over 200 undergraduate majors.
The oldest university in Indiana is Vincennes University, which was founded in 1801. Vincennes is a public university and is located in Vincennes, Indiana. There are seven bachelor degree programs available at Vincennes, but most programs at this university are two-year programs.
We Also Recommend:
