Top 10 Private Colleges in Indiana in 2027

1. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame takes the top spot on a near-96% graduation rate, a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, and roughly 8,900 undergraduates, all backed by one of the most powerful alumni networks in American higher education. Founded in 1842 near South Bend, it pairs a top-tier national ranking with generous need-based aid from a large endowment that often pulls net cost well below the roughly $62,000 sticker price.

It suits students who want an elite Catholic research university with strength across business, engineering, sciences, and the humanities. It trades away easy admission and a low sticker price, since selectivity is high and aid depends on need. Compared with Rose-Hulman directly below, Notre Dame offers far broader program breadth and national reach, while Rose-Hulman delivers more focused engineering value.

2. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Rose-Hulman ranks second as the best value pick, built on its standing as the top undergraduate engineering school among colleges that do not award doctorates. The Terre Haute campus, founded in 1874, enrolls roughly 2,000 students, posts a graduation rate near 80%, and sends graduates into engineering and tech roles with strong starting salaries and near-complete placement.

It is for students who know they want hands-on, teaching-focused STEM and care most about salary and job outcomes relative to a roughly $52,000 tuition. It trades away program breadth, since the narrow STEM focus and demanding workload will not fit everyone. Against DePauw below, Rose-Hulman offers stronger technical placement, while DePauw provides a broader liberal arts experience.

3. DePauw University

DePauw lands third as a premier national liberal arts college, with a graduation rate near 80%, a low student-faculty ratio, and roughly 1,700 students on its Greencastle campus founded in 1837. Its School of Music is highly regarded, the sciences and humanities are strong, and generous merit aid lowers the roughly $58,000 sticker price for many families.

It fits students who want a residential liberal arts experience with Greek life, internships, and close faculty contact. It trades away big-university scale and a major-city setting, since Greencastle is a small town. Compared with Wabash directly below, DePauw is co-ed and larger, while Wabash offers a tighter all-men's model with an exceptionally loyal alumni network.

4. Wabash College

Wabash ranks fourth for men seeking a rigorous, tight-knit liberal arts education, enrolling roughly 850 students in Crawfordsville since its 1832 founding. It is one of the few remaining all-men's colleges, posting strong graduation and outcomes figures, an exceptionally loyal alumni network, generous merit aid against roughly $50,000 tuition, and hallmark comprehensive exams in small classes.

It is for men who want close faculty relationships and strong graduate and professional school placement. It trades away program breadth and a co-ed environment, since very small enrollment limits offerings and the all-men's model is not for everyone. Against Butler below, Wabash offers a more intimate liberal arts focus, while Butler provides mid-size scale and pre-professional programs in Indianapolis.

5. Butler University

Butler takes fifth as the strongest mid-size private university in Indianapolis, enrolling roughly 4,500 undergraduates since its 1855 founding. It is best known for pharmacy and health sciences, business, and education, posts a graduation rate near 80%, keeps a low student-faculty ratio, and offers a major-city campus experience with Division I athletics, all at roughly $46,000 tuition.

It suits students who want pre-professional and health programs with city internships and a traditional campus feel. It trades away the lowest sticker price, since costs run above some regional peers, and top programs are competitively admitted. Compared with Valparaiso below, Butler offers a larger city setting and broader health focus, while Valparaiso provides strong engineering and nursing near Chicago.

6. Valparaiso University

Valparaiso ranks sixth for northwest Indiana students, a Lutheran university founded in 1859 that enrolls roughly 2,500 undergraduates. It offers strong engineering, nursing, and sciences programs plus a respected honors college, posts a solid graduation rate, provides generous merit aid against roughly $44,000 tuition, and sits conveniently near Chicago.

It is for students who want a mid-size Lutheran university with community feel and solid professional programs. It trades away national profile and enrollment momentum, since recent years have trended down and its name recognition trails Notre Dame or DePauw. Against the University of Indianapolis below, Valparaiso offers stronger engineering and a more residential campus, while UIndy provides a lower sticker price and a bigger-city health focus.

7. University of Indianapolis

The University of Indianapolis ranks seventh as an affordable, health-focused private option, founded in 1902 and enrolling roughly 4,000 undergraduates. It is known for health sciences, nursing, and physical therapy, posts a solid graduation rate, and delivers strong clinical placement in a major-city setting, all at roughly $34,000 tuition, the lowest sticker price on this list.

It is for students who want private health and professional programs without elite-private pricing. It trades away national profile and residential campus life, since it is less residential than the liberal arts colleges. Compared with Marian University below, UIndy offers a lower price and broader health offerings, while Marian provides a Catholic mission and a rare on-campus osteopathic medical school.

8. Marian University

Marian ranks eighth for health-professions-bound students, a Catholic university in Indianapolis founded in 1937 that enrolls roughly 2,500 undergraduates. Its standout feature is an on-campus College of Osteopathic Medicine, alongside strong nursing and education programs, a solid graduation rate, generous mission-based aid against roughly $40,000 tuition, and a growing health pipeline.

It is for students who want a Catholic university with a direct medical-school pathway and mission-driven financial support. It trades away program breadth and national profile, since it is smaller than larger universities. Compared with Saint Mary's College below, Marian is co-ed with an osteopathic medical school, while Saint Mary's offers a women's liberal arts model with cross-registration at Notre Dame.

9. Saint Mary's College

Saint Mary's ranks ninth for women seeking a Catholic liberal arts college, founded in 1844 and enrolling roughly 1,400 students in Notre Dame, Indiana. It posts a strong graduation rate and a low student-faculty ratio, offers strong nursing, education, and humanities programs, and features a long partnership allowing cross-registration at neighboring Notre Dame, at roughly $52,000 tuition.

It is for women who want a small Catholic liberal arts setting with access to Notre Dame courses and resources. It trades away a co-ed environment and a low sticker price, since the women's college model is not for everyone and aid determines net cost. Compared with Earlham College below, Saint Mary's offers Catholic mission and Notre Dame access, while Earlham provides a Quaker, consensus-driven culture with global programs.

10. Earlham College

Earlham ranks tenth as a distinctive Quaker liberal arts college in Richmond, founded in 1847 and enrolling roughly 800 students. It is known for consensus-based culture, strong off-campus study and field-science programs, and a global focus, posting a solid graduation rate, a low student-faculty ratio, and generous merit aid against roughly $54,000 tuition.

It is for students who want a values-driven, globally oriented liberal arts experience with close faculty contact. It trades away program breadth and a big-city setting, since very small enrollment limits offerings and Richmond is a small town. Compared with Saint Mary's College above, Earlham offers a co-ed Quaker environment and field-science strength, while Saint Mary's provides a women's Catholic model with Notre Dame access.

How we ranked these

We weighted each Indiana private college on six factors drawn from publicly reported data: academic quality and selectivity (25%), graduation and post-grad outcomes (20%), value and net cost (15%), faculty and resources (15%), student experience and support (15%), and fit and program breadth (10%). Figures came from U.S. News, Niche, NCES College Navigator, and each college's own disclosures. A strong reputation with weak outcomes dropped fast.

We deliberately ignored marketing polish, newest buildings, and raw national ranking numbers as standalone signals. Sticker price alone was excluded because net price after need-based and merit aid varies enormously by family. We also set aside athletic conference prestige and campus aesthetics, since neither reliably predicts whether a student graduates on time, lands a job, or finds faculty mentors.

What to look for

What actually matters is net price after aid, not sticker price. Run each college's net price calculator with real family finances before comparing. Then check four-year graduation rates, not six-year, because an extra year can cost more than the tuition difference. Finally, verify program strength in your intended major: Rose-Hulman for engineering, Butler for pharmacy, Marian for osteopathic medicine.

The mistake most buyers make is ranking colleges by national reputation instead of fit and outcomes. A student who thrives at a 2,000-student STEM school may flounder at a 9,000-student research university, and vice versa. The second common mistake is skipping the net price calculator, then reacting to the sticker price. Many Indiana privates discount heavily through merit aid, so the published tuition often overstates what a family pays.

Related questions

What is the best private college in Indiana overall?

The University of Notre Dame is the strongest overall pick, with a graduation rate near 96%, a student-faculty ratio near 9:1, top-tier national ranking, and one of the most powerful alumni networks in American higher education. Its endowment funds generous need-based aid that often brings net cost well below the roughly $62,000 sticker price.

Which Indiana private college offers the best value?

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is the value leader, pairing top-ranked undergraduate engineering with high starting salaries and near-complete job placement. Tuition runs about $52,000, and the focused STEM model produces one of the strongest returns on investment among Indiana private colleges, especially for engineering and tech careers.

How much does a private college in Indiana cost?

Tuition ranges from roughly $34,000 at the University of Indianapolis to about $62,000 at Notre Dame, before aid. Most families pay less than the sticker price. Merit aid at DePauw, Wabash, Earlham, and Valparaiso can be substantial, and Notre Dame's need-based aid is among the most generous in the state.

Are there single-sex private colleges in Indiana?

Yes. Wabash College in Crawfordsville is one of the few remaining all-men's liberal arts colleges, enrolling roughly 850 students. Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame is a women's Catholic liberal arts college enrolling about 1,400, with cross-registration access to the University of Notre Dame next door. The other eight picks are co-ed.

Which Indiana private college is best for engineering?

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is consistently ranked the top undergraduate engineering school among colleges that do not award doctorates. Notre Dame offers strong engineering through a larger research university, and Valparaiso University also has solid engineering and nursing programs in northwest Indiana near Chicago.

Do Indiana private colleges offer strong financial aid?

Yes. Notre Dame's large endowment supports generous need-based aid. DePauw, Wabash, Earlham, and Valparaiso are known for substantial merit awards that lower net cost. Always run each college's net price calculator with actual family income and assets, because published tuition rarely reflects what a given family pays.

What should I look for when comparing Indiana private colleges?

Prioritize four-year graduation rates, net price after aid, strength in your intended major, and faculty access. Size and setting matter too: Indiana privates range from roughly 800 students at Earlham to about 8,900 undergraduates at Notre Dame. A smaller college with strong mentoring can beat a bigger name for the right student.

Is Notre Dame worth the cost compared with other Indiana privates?

For students who qualify for need-based aid, Notre Dame's net cost can be competitive with far less prestigious schools, and its graduation rate near 96% plus alumni network add real long-term value. Families paying full sticker price should weigh that against strong merit offers from DePauw, Wabash, or Rose-Hulman.

FAQ

Which private college is the best overall in Indiana?

The University of Notre Dame takes the top spot for its top-tier national ranking, graduation rate near 96%, powerful alumni network, and generous need-based aid. It is the most academically elite and best-resourced private university in the state, with strengths spanning business, engineering, the sciences, and the humanities.

What is the best value private college in Indiana?

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is the best value, delivering top-ranked undergraduate engineering, high starting salaries, and near-complete job placement for a focused STEM education. Tuition runs about $52,000, and graduates consistently post some of the strongest early-career earnings of any Indiana private college.

Which Indiana private college is best for engineering?

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is consistently ranked the top undergraduate engineering school among non-doctoral colleges, with strong salaries and placement. Notre Dame and Valparaiso also offer respected engineering programs, but Rose-Hulman's teaching-focused model and lab access are hard to match for undergraduates.

How much do private colleges cost in Indiana?

Tuition ranges from roughly $34,000 at the University of Indianapolis to about $62,000 at Notre Dame, before need-based and merit aid. Net cost is often far lower. Run each college's net price calculator with real family finances, since aid packages vary widely by income and assets.

Are there single-sex private colleges in Indiana?

Yes. Wabash College is all-men's and Saint Mary's College is a women's college; the rest on this list are co-ed. Wabash enrolls roughly 850 students with a rigorous liberal arts model, while Saint Mary's enrolls about 1,400 and offers cross-registration at neighboring Notre Dame.

Do Indiana private colleges offer good financial aid?

Yes. Notre Dame offers generous need-based aid from a large endowment, and liberal arts colleges like DePauw, Wabash, and Earlham offer substantial merit aid that lowers net cost. Butler, Valparaiso, and Marian also discount meaningfully, so the published sticker price rarely reflects what families actually pay.

Which Indiana private college is best for health professions?

Butler University is strong for pharmacy and health sciences, the University of Indianapolis for nursing and physical therapy, and Marian University for its on-campus College of Osteopathic Medicine. Saint Mary's also offers solid nursing. The right pick depends on whether you want a pre-med track, direct clinical training, or a medical school pipeline.

Is a small liberal arts college in Indiana worth it?

For students who want small classes, faculty mentoring, and a residential experience, yes. DePauw, Wabash, Earlham, and Saint Mary's all post strong graduation rates and place graduates well in graduate and professional schools. The tradeoff is narrower program breadth and a small-town setting at several of them.

How selective are Indiana's top private colleges?

Notre Dame is highly selective and admits a small fraction of applicants. Rose-Hulman, DePauw, and Wabash are moderately selective with strong applicant pools. Butler, Valparaiso, Marian, the University of Indianapolis, and Earlham admit at higher rates, making them realistic options for a broader range of students.

What is the biggest mistake families make choosing an Indiana private college?

The biggest mistake is ranking colleges by national reputation instead of fit, net cost, and program strength. A student may thrive at a 2,000-student STEM school and struggle at a large research university. Skipping the net price calculator is the second common error, since aid can change the real cost dramatically.

Sources

• https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/in
• https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-private-colleges/s/indiana/
• https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
• https://www.nd.edu/
• https://www.rose-hulman.edu/
• https://www.depauw.edu/
• https://www.butler.edu/
• https://www.wabash.edu/

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