BSU vs. Bethel

Should I go to Ball State University or Bethel University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or Bethel 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.
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Ball State University vs. Bethel University comparison
Ball State University Bethel University College 3 College 4
Ball State University
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Overview

 BSU Bethel
Location Muncie, IN McKenzie, TN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 19,777 4,686
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #1002
Religious Affiliation - Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Bethel
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $16,222
Room & Board $10,904 $13,446
Avg Net Price $12,615 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 96%

Admission

 BSU Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 2,489
Admitted 15,761 2,210
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 88.8%
Enrolled % 22.1% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 16/22
SAT Range 1090/1260 928/1130
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

Academics

 BSU Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 BSU Bethel
Graduation Rate 55% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $292

Diversity

 BSU Bethel
% Men 35% 46%
% Women 65% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 46%
% Black 8% 40%
% Hispanic 4% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 BSU Bethel
% In-State 90% 80%
% Out-of-State 9% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Bethel based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 4,686 students)

BSU vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Bethel?

  • Bethel University is 92.3% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.8% higher at BSU than Bethel University ($25,918.00 vs. $16,222.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Bethel ($12,615 vs. $13,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 23.3% lower than costs at Bethel University ($10,904 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Bethel University (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 17.3% larger than aid received Ball State University ($13,396 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 142 points higher than at Bethel (928)
  • Incoming BSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Bethel (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Bethel has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or Bethel? 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 Bethel and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Bethel University (55% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $200 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,250)
  • BSU graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($258 vs. $292)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 33%)

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