Gustavus Adolphus College vs Bethel University

Gustavus Adolphus College and Bethel University, both esteemed private institutions in Minnesota, offer distinct educational experiences. Gustavus, known for its rigorous academics and vibrant campus life, boasts a lower acceptance rate and a higher graduation rate compared to Bethel. Bethel, on the other hand, offers a more diverse student body and a wider range of undergraduate programs, including popular majors like nursing and business. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two excellent institutions. Explore the data to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Bethel University logo

Bethel University

Gustavus Adolphus College logo

Gustavus Adolphus College

Overview

Location Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Peter, Minnesota
Campus setting Suburb: Large Town: Fringe
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% 84.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Baptist Evangelical

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.7% 72.6%
Application fees
SAT range 1123 - 1343 N/A
ACT range 20 - 28 26 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 4.0%
Students submitting ACT score 57.0% 28.0%
Total number of applicants 2,050 3,799
Total number of admissions given out 1,818 2,757
Admitted students who chose to enroll 504 551
Yield rate 27.7% 20.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $55,228 $63,270
Average net price $28,840 $27,657
Tuition $39,920 $49,950
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,990

Meal plan: $5,160
Room/dormitory: $6,750

Meal plan: $3,950
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $24,534
99.0%
Average amount $33,174
Students receiving federal student loan 65.0%
Average amount $5,559
49.0%
Average amount $6,197
Students taking out private loans 17.0%
Average amount $15,453
17.0%
Average amount $14,100

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,653
Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
2,251
Men 43.6% Women 56.4%
Graduate students 1,078
Men 32.5% Women 67.5%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 22.4% 19.2%
International students 0.8% 3.6%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,819 2,125
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 Minnesota Wisconsin South Dakota Texas Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Theology
  • Social Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 74.3% 78.4%
Dropout rate 25.0% 9.3%
Transferred out N/A 12.3%
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
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $64,196
  • Year 3: $72,945
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,715
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $68,688
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,092
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $66,456
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,254
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $60,313
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,068
  • Year 2: $48,302
  • Year 3: $52,394
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,694
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $48,449
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,021
  • Year 2: $42,166
  • Year 3: $45,271
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,866
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $42,958
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,044
  • Year 2: $35,179
  • Year 3: $41,058
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,638
  • Year 2: $36,745
  • Year 3: $39,885

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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