2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana
Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
We analyzed 45 colleges and universities across Indiana to determine which were the best for veterans and active service members. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, and overall quality - to make this determination.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in Indiana
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Our 2021 rankings named Indiana University - Bloomington the best school in Indiana for veterans working on their bachelor’s degree. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 11,274 students in 2019-2020.
Of the 43,064 students enrolled at IU Bloomington, 626 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 389 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,606. In addition to receiving other benefits, 23 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. IU Bloomington also made our Best Schools in Indiana list, coming in at #3.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 in Indiana on this year’s best for vets ranking. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, the large public school awarded 11,340 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 46,655 students enrolled at Purdue, 761 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 556 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,363. On top of their other funding sources, 32 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Purdue does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Purdue did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Schools in Indiana list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis. It ranked #3 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7,344 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, IUPUI supports 29,390 students, and 836 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 477 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,062. To help with additional expenses, 11 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Notre Dame helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for veterans in Indiana. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 4,484 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Notre Dame supports 12,809 students, and 361 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 303 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,306. In addition to receiving other benefits, 78 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Notre Dame also took the #1 spot in our Best Schools in Indiana rankings.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list means Grace College and Theological Seminary is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Winona Lake, Indiana, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 581 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 1,901 students enrolled at Grace College, 27 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 20 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,312. Grace College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Southern Indiana ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. USI is a fairly large public school situated in Evansville, Indiana. It awarded 2,359 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 10,203 students enrolled at USI, 174 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 112 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,969. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Indiana State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Terre Haute, Indiana, and it awarded 2,696 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 10,829 students enrolled at Indiana State, 432 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 241 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,477. To help with additional expenses, 6 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Indiana State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
University of Evansville landed the #8 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. Located in Evansville, Indiana, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 609 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 2,323 students enrolled at UE, 68 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 41 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,080. To help with additional expenses, 24 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Ball State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. Ball State is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 6,047 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 432 of the 21,597 students enrolled at Ball State were GI Bill® students, of which 226 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,458. During this same period, 16 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Ball State also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in Indiana list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Valparaiso University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. Valparaiso, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,170 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 47 of the 3,122 students enrolled at Valpo were GI Bill® students, of which 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,228. To help with additional expenses, 19 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Valpo also did well on our Best Schools in Indiana list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #11, Indiana University - Kokomo did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. Located in Kokomo, Indiana, the small public school handed out 627 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, IU Kokomo supports 3,227 students, and 107 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 64 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,928. IU Kokomo does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Indiana University - Southeast came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. Located in New Albany, Indiana, the small public school handed out 938 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 4,678 students enrolled at Indiana University - Southeast, 190 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 138 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,934. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a ranking of #13, Indiana University - South Bend did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. Indiana University - South Bend is located in South Bend, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 938 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Of the 4,942 students enrolled at Indiana University - South Bend, 141 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 94 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,820. On top of their other funding sources, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Indiana University - South Bend does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a ranking of #14, Indiana University - East did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. Located in Richmond, Indiana, the small public school handed out 819 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 3,434 students enrolled at IU East, 131 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 97 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,161. During this same period, 14 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking, coming in at #15. University of St. Francis Fort Wayne is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It awarded 635 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 2,271 students enrolled at University of St. Francis Fort Wayne, 70 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 54 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,332. In addition to receiving other benefits, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read full report on University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne
Indiana Wesleyan University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Marion, Indiana, and it awarded 763 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, IWU supports 3,108 students, and 614 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 405 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,613. To help with additional expenses, 6 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Butler University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. Butler is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 1,502 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 5,544 students enrolled at Butler, 71 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 54 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,847. In addition to receiving other benefits, 30 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. Butler also made our Best Schools in Indiana list, coming in at #5.
Franklin College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. Franklin College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Franklin, Indiana that handed out 230 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Franklin College of Indiana supports 994 students, and 20 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 16 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,539. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Taylor University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking, coming in at #19. Taylor U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Upland, Indiana. It awarded 452 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 2,110 students enrolled at Taylor U, 22 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 16 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,833. To help with additional expenses, 9 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Taylor U does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Taylor U also is in the top 15% of our Best Schools in Indiana ranking.
DePauw University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. Located in Greencastle, Indiana, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 550 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 1,752 students enrolled at DePauw, 9 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,116. During this same period, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. DePauw does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. DePauw also took the #4 spot in our Best Schools in Indiana rankings.
Purdue University Fort Wayne came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. PFW is a public institution located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,509 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 228 of the 8,093 students enrolled at PFW were GI Bill® students, of which 115 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,788. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology landed the #22 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 571 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 32 of the 1,990 students enrolled at Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology were GI Bill® students, of which 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,470. To help with additional expenses, 21 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #23, Ivy Tech Community College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana list. Ivy Tech Community College is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9,038 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 63,809 students enrolled at Ivy Tech Community College, 571 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 407 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,499. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Indiana University - Northwest came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking. Located in Gary, Indiana, the small public school awarded 682 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 3,801 students enrolled at IU Northwest, 92 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 51 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,687. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Chamberlain University - Indiana did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Indiana ranking, coming in at #25. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 55 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 17 of the 275 students enrolled at Chamberlain - Indiana were GI Bill® students, of which 16 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,749. To help with additional expenses, 6 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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