Bethel University vs Colby College

Bethel University and Colby College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Bethel, a Christian university in Minnesota, boasts a 98% acceptance rate, while Colby, a private liberal arts college in Maine, maintains a highly selective 12% acceptance rate. Bethel's student body is predominantly undergraduate, with a focus on Christian studies, nursing, and business, while Colby's diverse student body pursues a wide range of majors, including government, economics, and biology. With a graduation rate of 68%, Bethel emphasizes spiritual growth and service, while Colby's 93% graduation rate reflects its commitment to academic excellence. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal values.
Bethel University logo

Bethel University

Colby College logo

Colby College

Overview

Location Saint Paul, Minnesota Waterville, Maine
Campus setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 86.0% 95.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Baptist

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.7% 8.9%
Application fees
SAT range 1123 - 1343 1400 - 1530
ACT range 20 - 28 32 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 4.0% 40.0%
Students submitting ACT score 57.0% 28.0%
Total number of applicants 2,050 15,857
Total number of admissions given out 1,818 1,407
Admitted students who chose to enroll 504 667
Yield rate 27.7% 47.4%
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 Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $55,228 $68,825
Average net price $28,840 $17,912
Tuition $39,920 $58,640
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,990

Meal plan: $5,160
Room/dormitory: $8,150

Meal plan: $7,595
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $24,534
39.0%
Average amount $58,513
Students receiving federal student loan 65.0%
Average amount $5,559
8.0%
Average amount $5,140
Students taking out private loans 17.0%
Average amount $15,453
1.0%
Average amount $18,242

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,653
Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
2,262
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 1,078
Men 32.5% Women 67.5%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 22.4% N/A
International students 0.8% 9.5%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 1,819 2,242
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa South Dakota Illinois N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Theology
  • Social Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 74.3% 86.6%
Dropout rate 25.0% 5.7%
Transferred out N/A 7.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,189
  • Year 2: $101,406
  • Year 3: $114,186
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,885
  • Year 2: $80,858
  • Year 3: $99,647
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $99,325
  • Year 3: $97,047
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,998
  • Year 2: $66,964
  • Year 3: $70,318
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $63,253
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,100
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $61,022
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,747
  • Year 2: $52,733
  • Year 3: $56,122
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,385
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $55,588
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,180
  • Year 2: $47,427
  • Year 3: $53,686
Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,174
  • Year 2: $49,883
  • Year 3: $51,683
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,540
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $83,980
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,972
  • Year 2: $47,118
  • Year 3: $55,529
International/Global Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,350
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $53,638
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $42,883
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,156
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $40,423
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,612
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $44,971
  • Year 3: N/A

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