Indiana University-South Bend
South Bend, Indiana · Public · 83.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 40/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Indiana University-South Bend earns an overall ROI score of 40 (Below Benchmark), but the score belies the genuinely affordable cost structure. The IU regional in South Bend, IN charges $8,424 in-state tuition with an average net price of just $8,653. Four-year cost is $34,612, before living expenses. Earnings reach $31,600 six years out and $44,947 at 10 years, with $21,355 median debt and debt-to-earnings of 0.676. Payback is 17.6 years - weak in part because the wage data lags the credential's actual market value. Completion is 41% and repayment is 66.5% three-year. The institution's affordability provides real headroom: even mediocre cohort earnings translate into manageable debt service because borrowing is low. Strong programs include nursing (B grade, 73 graduates), business administration (B, 117 graduates), and computer science (C+). The weakness is completion - like most open-access regional publics, IUSB enrolls many students who do not finish, and the institutional ROI averages strong completers with weak attriters.
How Indiana University-South Bend scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score40/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Indiana University-South Bend
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,424/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $22,811/yr |
| Average net price | $8,653/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $34,612 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,947 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,355 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $226 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 40.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,933 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,424/year ($22,811/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $8,653/year, or roughly $34,612 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $4,637/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,825/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,355, which works out to about $226 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,600) and comes to 0.68, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $4,637 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,926 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,195 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,968 |
| $110,001+ | $15,825 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $4,637 net per year. The 30-48K bracket pays $4,926. Four-year cost is $19K-$20K. Pell plus state aid covers most of the bill.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48-75K bracket pays $8,195 and 75-110K pays $13,968. Four-year cost runs $33K-$56K. Still very competitive against any private alternative. The 75-110K bracket experiences the standard regional-public donut-hole effect but the absolute price remains low.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110K pay $15,825 net - still below the out-of-state tuition figure because most enrollees pay in-state. Four-year cost is $63K. At this price, the financial fit case remains strong.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Indiana University-South Bend with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $64,275 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $84,541 | B |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $48,815 | D |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $32,829 | D |
| Teacher Education | $45,755 | C |
| Social Work | $48,344 | C |
| Biology | $56,512 | D |
| Psychology | $46,521 | C |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,663 | F |
| Dental Support Services | $61,436 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration and Management earns a B with 117 graduates per cycle - the largest program. First-year earnings of $48,238 climb to $64,275 at four years against $20,500 median debt. Debt-to-earnings of 0.425 is healthy.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing earns a B with 73 graduates. First-year earnings of $67,253 climb to $84,541 at four years against $26,412 debt - a 0.393 ratio.
Computer Science
Computer Science earns a C+ with 12 graduates. First-year earnings of $53,743 climb dramatically to $99,574 at four years against $27,400 debt. The four-year jump is striking and suggests CS graduates either relocate to higher-wage tech markets or land into Chicago-area firms within commuting range. Small graduate count limits the statistical confidence but the trajectory is excellent.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences earns a D with 59 graduates - a popular general-studies pathway. First-year earnings of $33,716 against $25,319 debt produces a 0.751 ratio. This is the canonical 'didn't pick a major' track and the financial outcome reflects that. Students should pick a specific discipline whenever possible.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Health Services/Allied Health (General) earns a D with 44 graduates. First-year earnings of $32,829 against $25,551 debt produces a 0.778 ratio. The general health-sciences track is typically a pre-nursing or pre-allied-health holding pattern; students should aim for the specific clinical credential rather than the general degree.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 53.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Indiana University-South Bend’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 83.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-580 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-23 |
| Enrollment | 3,933 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 42.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,053 |
IUSB admits 83.8% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 470-580 math and 480-610 reading, and ACT 21-23 is narrow and modest. The admissions threshold is open enough that academic preparation varies widely. The 41% completion rate is the predictable consequence of regional-public open access without comprehensive academic-support infrastructure. Better-prepared admits who attend full-time and live near campus are far more likely to finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana University-South Bend (this school) | 40 | $8,653 | $44,947 |
| Ball State University | 54 | $14,940 | $51,833 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University | 46 | $14,459 | $45,744 |
| Northwest Missouri State University | 43 | $16,244 | $47,885 |
| Dalton State College | 41 | $5,012 | $40,251 |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne | 35 | $13,171 | $45,872 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate is 42.7% and enrollment is 3,933.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Indiana University-South Bend scores 40/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $8,653 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $44,947 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.6 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: its 40.1% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,355 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Indiana University-South Bend: Common Questions
Is Indiana University-South Bend worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Indiana University-South Bend scores 40/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $8,653 a year after aid against $44,947 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Indiana University-South Bend cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $8,653 a year, or roughly $34,612 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Indiana University-South Bend graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $44,947 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,147 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Indiana University-South Bend?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 17.6 years for Indiana University-South Bend. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Indiana University-South Bend graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,355, against average earnings of $31,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Indiana University-South Bend?
The six-year graduation rate is 40.1%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.