Bethel University vs Bowdoin College
Bethel University and Bowdoin College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Bethel, a Christian university in Minnesota, boasts a 98% acceptance rate, while Bowdoin, a prestigious liberal arts college in Maine, has a highly selective 11% acceptance rate. Bethel's student body is predominantly White (84%) and female (61%), while Bowdoin's student body is more diverse, with a larger proportion of international students (13%) and a more even gender distribution (49% male, 51% female). Both institutions offer a range of popular majors, including Business, Biology, and Psychology, but Bowdoin also excels in the Humanities and Social Sciences. With a graduation rate of 84%, Bethel ensures that its students are well-prepared for their careers, while Bowdoin's impressive 96% graduation rate reflects its commitment to academic excellence. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these two
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![]() Bethel University |
![]() Bowdoin College |
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Overview |
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Location | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Brunswick, Maine |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | Town: 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 |
Students retention rate | 86.0% | 97.0% |
![]() |
No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Baptist | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 88.7% | 8.8% |
Application fees | $65 | |
SAT range | 1123 - 1343 | N/A |
ACT range | 20 - 28 | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | 4.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 57.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 2,050 | 9,325 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,818 | 822 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 504 | 517 |
Yield rate | 27.7% | 62.9% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $55,228 | $76,310 |
Average net price | $28,840 | $26,727 |
Tuition | $39,920 | $57,776 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$5,990
Meal plan:
$5,160
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Room/dormitory:
$7,630
Meal plan:
$8,268
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
99.0%
Average amount $24,534 |
54.0%
Average amount $45,153 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
65.0%
Average amount $5,559 |
11.0%
Average amount $4,767 |
Students taking out private loans |
17.0%
Average amount $15,453 |
1.0%
Average amount $20,700 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,653
Men 38.9% Women 61.1% |
1,951
Men 49.4% Women 50.6% |
Graduate students |
1,078
Men 32.5% Women 67.5% |
N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 22.4% | 91.5% |
International students | 0.8% | 7.1% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Town: Fringe |
Dormitory capacity | 1,819 | 1,913 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa South Dakota Illinois | New York California Maine Connecticut New Jersey |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 11:1 | 9:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | New England Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 74.3% | 93.8% |
Dropout rate | 25.0% | 2.2% |
Transferred out | N/A | 4.0% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees)
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Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
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