Bethany College vs Ave Maria

Bethany College and Ave Maria University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Bethany College, nestled in the heart of West Virginia, boasts a long-standing tradition of academic excellence and a vibrant student life. In contrast, Ave Maria University, located in the sunny state of Florida, is a private Catholic university known for its strong emphasis on liberal arts and its commitment to faith-based education. While both institutions share a dedication to providing quality education, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Ave Maria University	Bethany College
Overview
Location	Ave Maria, Florida	Bethany, West Virginia
Campus setting	Rural: Distant	Rural: Fringe
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	76.0%	65.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Catholic	Protestant

Admission
Acceptance rate	64.0%	73.6%
Application fees
SAT range	N/A	870 - 1110
ACT range	N/A	18 - 26
Students submitting SAT score		10.0%
Students submitting ACT score		13.0%
Total number of applicants	3,705	2,522
Total number of admissions given out	2,373	1,855
Admitted students who chose to enroll	377	167
Yield rate	15.9%	9.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$41,977	$45,980
Average net price	$18,643	$14,848
Tuition	$23,521	$29,680
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,562 Meal plan: $5,528	Room/dormitory: $5,580 Meal plan: $5,910
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $21,230	100.0% Average amount $30,912
Students receiving federal student loan	55.0% Average amount $5,696	76.0% Average amount $6,230
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $11,852	6.0% Average amount $10,052

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,259 Men 45.1% Women 54.9%	545 Men 52.5% Women 47.5%
Graduate students	43 Men 69.8% Women 30.2%	14 Men 71.4% Women 28.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	1.3%	N/A
Campus local/setting	Rural: Distant	Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	1,244	750
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Theology Social Sciences Education	Education Psychology Business Communication and Journalism Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	60.9%	43.2%
Dropout rate	39.1%	56.8%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,648 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $36,766 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,250 Year 3: $34,401 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,800 Year 2: $30,988 Year 3: $30,767 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,762 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Theological and Ministerial Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,775 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $48,041 Year 3: N/A	Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,530 Year 2: $29,141 Year 3: $35,825 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $24,035 Year 3: $27,179 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $36,606 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: N/A Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,468 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A

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