Every figure is for a student starting in fall 2027. We work each one out again whenever we update the site.
Paying for college in Indiana
What the state and its colleges give families, who gets it, and how to apply. See every Indiana college priced for your income
From the state
Across state lines
From the colleges
Pay less for college
A SmartTuition plan shows what to pay from where, each semester.
In our Indiana scenarios, with good parent credit, a SmartTuition plan saves a median of about $9,900 over four years. How we worked this out ↓
Have your award letter? Build your SmartTuition plan, $99 →
Already have a list? Put your schools side by side →
From the state
Indiana's programs. Most come through the FAFSA or the state's own aid application; a few have their own.
Frank O’Bannon Grant
A need-based grant for Indiana residents at Indiana colleges, public and private. The amount comes from the Student Aid Index and the student must file the FAFSA by April 15.
Source: Indiana University Indianapolis, Cost and Financial Aid
“Frank O’Bannon Grants are awarded to Indiana residents who demonstrate financial need based on their FAFSA.”
“File your FAFSA by April 15 each year Be enrolled full time (at least 12 credit hours)”
“24-29 credit hours earned will result in a “ Full-time ” award amount 30 or more credit hours earned will result in an “ On-time ” award amount (i.e. maximum award)”
21st Century Scholars
A tuition and fees award for Indiana students who joined in 7th or 8th grade on an income limit and kept the pledge. It lasts eight semesters of full-time study.
Source: Indiana University Kokomo, Financial Aid
“the initial eligibility for which is determined when a student is in 7th or 8th grade and meets specific income requirements. At that time students take a Scholars Pledge”
“The award is available for eight semesters of full-time enrollment. The 21st Century Scholars Award is designated for application towards the payment of tuition and fees.”
“At the end of your first year, you must have at least 30 completed cumulative credit hours. At the end of your second year, you must have at least 60 completed cumulative credit hours.”
Indiana's 529 tax credit
Indiana takes 20% of what you put into an Indiana529 account off your Indiana tax, up to $1,500 a year ($750 married filing separately). Take money out for anything other than school costs and Indiana can take the credit back.
Source: Indiana529 Direct Savings Plan, Tax Advantages
“Indiana taxpayers can get a state income tax credit equal to 20% of their contributions to a Indiana529 account, up to $1,500 per year ($750 for married filing separately).”
“This credit is subject to recapture from the account owner (not the contributor) in certain circumstances, such as rollovers to another state's 529 plan, federal nonqualified withdrawals”
Child of Veteran and Public Safety Officer program
Tuition and regular fees at Indiana's public colleges, at the undergraduate rate for up to 124 credit hours. It is for the children of deceased or disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients, and the children and spouses of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
Source: Indiana State University, Student Financial Aid
“Children of Purple Heart recipients or Wounded veterans Children of deceased or disabled veterans”
“Child/Spouse of deceased police officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty”
“CVO grants pay tuition and regularly assessed fees at the undergraduate rate for up to 124 credit hours.”
Indiana also has grants for adults returning to college and for workforce certificates, and scholarships for future teachers. See the Commission for Higher Education's list.
From the colleges
What each college gives for grades, what it promises on aid, and its full price.
| College | Merit scholarships | Promise on aid | Full price a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson University private | None published | — | $56,347 |
| Ball State University public |
| — | $25,601 |
| Bethel University (Indiana) private |
| — | $50,385 |
| Butler University private |
| — | $73,507 |
| DePauw University private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay DePauw benchmark: full direct costs (tuition, housing, meals and required fees) for family income up to $50,000, from fall 2027 DePauw benchmark: full tuition for family income up to $100,000, from fall 2027 DePauw benchmark: at least half of tuition for family income up to $200,000, from fall 2027 | $84,157 |
| Grace College and Theological Seminary private |
| — | $47,420 |
| Hanover College private | None published | — | $66,904 |
| Huntington University private | None published | — | $48,922 |
| Indiana State University public |
| — | $24,838 |
| Indiana Tech private | None published | — | $49,922 |
| Indiana University Bloomington public | None published | — | $28,696 |
| Indiana University Indianapolis public | None published | — | $26,869 |
| Indiana University Kokomo public |
| — | $15,951 |
| Indiana University South Bend public | None published | — | $20,648 |
| Indiana University Southeast public | None published | — | $23,807 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University private |
| — | $49,202 |
| Marian University private |
| — | $62,026 |
| Purdue University public | None published | Boiler Gold Grant: tuition and fees after other gift aid, for Indiana residents with a family adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less | $28,651 |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne public |
| — | $26,594 |
| Purdue University Northwest public | None published | — | $19,936 |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology private | None published | — | $82,686 |
| Saint Mary's College private | None published | — | $74,844 |
| Taylor University private |
| — | $57,031 |
| Trine University private |
| — | $54,677 |
| University of Evansville private | None published | Hoosier Aces Grant: tuition, fees and up to $15,000 toward housing and meals, for Indiana students with a family adjusted gross income under $60,000, from fall 2027 | $66,155 |
| University of Indianapolis private |
| — | $59,848 |
| University of Notre Dame private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay | $93,638 |
| University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne private |
| — | $55,042 |
| Valparaiso University private | None published | — | $71,198 |
* The finder and our college comparison show this scholarship when you enter your student's GPA.
Each college's page has a promise's conditions, in the college's own words. “Worth asking about” marks a program the college describes in words that stop short of a promise.
Full price: tuition and fees, housing and food, and books; in state at a public university. What your family would pay after grants depends on your income: the finder shows it.
4 more Indiana colleges have no page here. For 0 of them, the federal data has no cost or no price by income. The rest mainly teach graduate students or run online programs. Show them
- Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global
- Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies
- Indiana University-East
- Indiana University-Northwest
Across state lines
The Midwest Student Exchange Program, run by the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.
Coming to Indiana from another Midwest exchange state
Students from Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin can pay no more than 150% of resident tuition at the public colleges that take part, for the programs each chooses. Private colleges take 10% off.
A student applies to the college, not to the exchange.
These 11 colleges in Indiana take part:
- Ball State University (not for students from Ohio)
- Indiana State University
- Indiana University East
- Indiana University Fort Wayne
- Indiana University Indianapolis
- Indiana University Kokomo
- Indiana University Northwest
- Indiana University–Purdue University Columbus
- Indiana University South Bend
- Indiana University Southeast
- Purdue University Fort Wayne
Going from Indiana to another Midwest exchange state
An Indiana student can use it the other way, at the colleges that take part in the other seven states. Each college's exchange contact explains how to apply.
Source: Midwestern Higher Education Compact, Midwest Student Exchange Program
“Through the MSEP, participating public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for selected programs, and private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates.”
“Eight of MHEC’s member states participate in this voluntary program: Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.”
“You must be a legal resident of one of these eight states and enrolling as a non-resident at a participating institution in one of the other participating states.”
“You apply directly to the school, not to the MSEP.”
Paying the rest
Your SmartTuition plan uses your savings, your 529, your loans and your award letter.
Build your SmartTuition plan, $99 →Best once your award letter arrives. No letter yet? Get the monthly email.
How we worked these out
What a SmartTuition plan saves
The $9,900 in the “Pay less for college” box near the top of this page is the median saving over our Indiana scenarios. Each scenario is a household in Indiana at one of its colleges. Its income is one of 8 from $45,000 to $200,000, and its savings are none, $40,000 or $100,000 in a 529. We price each college at the aid it reports for the income.
Every scenario has parents with good credit and $500 a month toward college. A saving is the difference, over four years, between a SmartTuition plan and the standard approach: savings first, then loans for the rest. It counts loan interest, the federal tax credit and Indiana's tax credit for money you put through its 529 plan. Credit matters: parents with fair credit borrow at a higher rate, which changes the saving.
A scenario where the parents would borrow more than $65,000 is left out, as is one at a college that reports no aid for the income. The figure is for a household that lives in Indiana.
Costs: each college's own published price where it has one, otherwise the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, carried forward to fall 2027. Grants: each program’s own page. Scholarships: each college's own page, read by us and checked against it. SmartTuition.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any institution named here.