BLC vs. USD

Should I go to Bethany Lutheran College or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BLC or USD is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Bethany Lutheran College vs. University of South Dakota comparison
Bethany Lutheran College University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
University of South Dakota
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

BLC USD
Location Mankato, MN Vermillion, SD
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 830 9,856
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #597
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BLC USD
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $11,283
Room & Board $8,270 $8,224
Avg Net Price $18,525 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 79%

Admission

BLC USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 4,480
Admitted 389 4,456
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 99.5%
Enrolled % 45.2% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 19/25
SAT Range 990/1290 1020/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2024

Academics

BLC USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

BLC USD
Graduation Rate 53% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $258

Diversity

BLC USD
% Men 48% 37%
% Women 52% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 85%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

BLC USD
% In-State 59% 54%
% Out-of-State 23% 43%

Campus

BLC USD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Dakota is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (9,856 students vs. 830 students)

BLC vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or USD?

  • Bethany Lutheran College is 264.5% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($28,330.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 151.1% higher at BLC than University of South Dakota ($28,330.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than BLC ($18,378 vs. $18,525)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 0.6% lower than costs at Bethany Lutheran College ($8,224 vs. $8,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 228.2% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($20,705 vs. $6,308)

BLC vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BLC or USD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USD or BLC .

  • The average SAT score at Bethany Lutheran College (1074) is 25 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming BLC students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than BLC (58.5%)

BLC vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or USD? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between USD and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at BLC is higher than University of South Dakota (53% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $10,900 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,000)
  • BLC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($240 vs. $258)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/