IU Bloomington: the complete school report for parents
IU Bloomington puts the most weight on course rigor, GPA and class rank. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy and demonstrated interest, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 75.9% admit rate and 69% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Computer Science graduates earn a median $109,758 against $27,592 for East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.
IU Bloomington is officially Indiana University-Bloomington, also known as IUB or Indiana University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-10-21.
Is IU Bloomington a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places IU Bloomington against the figures above. No account needed.
What’s new at IU Bloomington for 2026-27
Some IU degree programs are being merged or closed under a new state law. Indiana's HEA 1001 required public universities to justify degree programs that fell below state graduation thresholds. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education concluded its review on 1 April 2026: about 4% of IU students were in programs that were continued, consolidated or merged, and fewer than 0.6% in programs that will close. All revisions take effect by the end of the 2026-27 academic year, so applicants should confirm their intended major is still offered at Bloomington.
Source: Overview of Indiana Commission for Higher Education public meeting to review degree programs, IU Today (2 April 2026); IU taking steps to comply with new state legislation regarding degree programs, IU Today
What does IU Bloomington actually weigh in admissions?
IU Bloomington rates 3 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, class rank. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is IU Bloomington's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How IU Bloomington rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Very Important |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does IU Bloomington consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does IU Bloomington consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does IU Bloomington consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider class rank?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does IU Bloomington consider demonstrated interest?
No. IU Bloomington does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does IU Bloomington consider an interview?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider legacy status?
No. IU Bloomington does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does IU Bloomington consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does IU Bloomington consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does IU Bloomington consider religious affiliation?
No. IU Bloomington does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
69% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.8 on a 4.0 scale, reported for 94.94% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 43.78% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 25.04% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 16.39% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 9.35% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 4.69% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.74% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.01% |
What is the IU Bloomington waitlist really like?
IU Bloomington offered a place on its waiting list to 6,271 applicants and 2,434 accepted one. 97 were ultimately admitted. That is 4.0% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
IU Bloomington admitted 62.6% of 2,119 transfer applicants, against 75.9% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
IU Bloomington reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | Not reported |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | January 15 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $65 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will IU Bloomington actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $16,264 a year at IU Bloomington after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $10,622. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 65.1% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 3,505 merit awards averaging $5,668 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $6,324 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $7,610 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $12,154 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $20,204 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,128 |
40% of IU Bloomington graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $32,238 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $207 a month in repayment. IU Bloomington’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from IU Bloomington pay off?
Graduates earn a median $63,742 ten years after entering, and $53,417 at six years. 84% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 72% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $25,296 | 1.3 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $30,440 | 1.5 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $48,616 | 2.5 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $80,816 | 4.1 |
| Over $110,000 | $100,512 | 5.1 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$109,758 to $27,592, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at IU Bloomington:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $109,758 | 144 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $105,759 | 2,132 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $90,630 | 416 |
| Economics | $86,586 | 98 |
| Public Administration | $74,845 | 448 |
| Public Health | $72,757 | 174 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $67,819 | 112 |
| Journalism | $65,840 | 121 |
| Biology, General | $65,677 | 226 |
| Music | $42,250 | 145 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $35,778 | 35 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $27,592 | 36 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
90% of first-years return for a second year. 70% graduate within four years and 80% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 68.8% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 83.7% of everyone else, a gap of 14.9 points.
How big are the classes?
35% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 7% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1, and 83% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.
What is life at IU Bloomington like?
38,463 undergraduates, 48.14% of first-years from out of state. 96.66% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 33.18% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 22.87% of men join a fraternity and 21.66% of women a sorority. 22% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $70,094.
New first-year undergraduates at IU Bloomington are required to live on campus. Exemptions are available for students living with a parent or guardian within 25 miles of Bloomington, transfer students with at least 15 accepted credit hours, and part-time students. Returning students are eligible for on-campus housing only if they currently live on campus.
Source: Residency Exemption, IU Bloomington Residential Programs and Services; Returning Students, IU Bloomington Residential Programs and Services
IU Bloomington's varsity teams, the Hoosiers, compete in the Big Ten Conference. IU football's perfect season brought home a national championship, which IU counts as its 24th NCAA team title, alongside more than 160 individual champions.
Source: Athletics and Recreation, IU Bloomington; Indiana University Athletics
IU Bloomington sent more than 4,300 students abroad in 2024-25, and IU says about one in three graduating seniors has studied abroad. Open Doors data for 2023-24 ranked Bloomington fourth in the nation for total students studying abroad for credit and second for semester-length study abroad.
Source: Education Abroad shares 2024-25 annual report, IU Global (15 June 2026); Education Abroad, Indiana University
First-year students can join ASURE, a two- to three-semester credit-bearing research program in the College of Arts and Sciences, and later options include Vertically Integrated Projects teams and the eight-week IUUR summer research program. Outcome reporting is published by school: in the Kelley School of Business Class of 2025, 96% of seniors actively seeking work reported a full-time job or graduate school acceptance within three months (status known for 76% of 2,777 graduates).
Source: Programs, IU Bloomington Undergraduate Research; Impacts of the ASURE Program at IU, Indiana University Journal of Undergraduate Research; Salary Statistics, Kelley Undergraduate Career Services
How is IU Bloomington ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?
IU Bloomington is ranked #6 for undergraduate business (Kelley School) in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2027. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:
| Ranking | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2027, undergraduate business (Kelley School) | #6 |
| Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 | =212 |
Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.
Source: Kelley School's undergraduate program moves up to sixth (Kelley School blog, 22 Sept 2026); Indiana University, Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Indiana University reports more than 805,000 living alumni across its nine campuses, including Bloomington, with nearly 417,000 in Indiana and alumni in more than 165 countries. IU describes this as the largest living alumni community of any U.S. university.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
- 69% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.8. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 97 of 2,434 who waited were admitted, about 4%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $109,758 five years out against $27,592 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about IU Bloomington
What GPA do you need for IU Bloomington?
69% of enrolled students at IU Bloomington had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.8, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Does the IU Bloomington waitlist move?
2,434 students accepted a place on the IU Bloomington waiting list and 97 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do IU Bloomington graduates earn?
IU Bloomington graduates earn a median $63,742 ten years after entering, and 84% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with IU Bloomington
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: IU Bloomington’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-10-21. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.
How to read these numbers · Back to the IU Bloomington profile