BLC vs. VWC

Should I go to Bethany Lutheran College or Virginia Wesleyan College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BLC or VWC 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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Bethany Lutheran College vs. Virginia Wesleyan College comparison
Bethany Lutheran College Virginia Wesleyan College College 3 College 4
Virginia Wesleyan College
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Overview

 BLC VWC
Location Mankato, MN Norfolk, VA
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 830 1,538
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #631
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu vwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC VWC
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $36,010
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $36,010
Room & Board $8,270 $11,070
Avg Net Price $18,525 $23,046
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $27,568
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 BLC VWC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 1,718
Admitted 389 1,399
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 81.4%
Enrolled % 45.2% 20.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 27/29
SAT Range 990/1290 1190/1365
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 VWC
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 BLC VWC
Graduation Rate 53% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $279

Diversity

 BLC VWC
% Men 48% 44%
% Women 52% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 54%
% Black 3% 24%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

 BLC VWC
% In-State 59% 73%
% Out-of-State 23% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Wesleyan College is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (1,538 students vs. 830 students)

BLC vs. VWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or VWC?

  • Virginia Wesleyan College is 27.1% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($36,010.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.1% higher at VWC than Bethany Lutheran College ($36,010.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than VWC ($18,525 vs. $23,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 33.9% lower than costs at Virginia Wesleyan College ($8,270 vs. $11,070)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College as Virginia Wesleyan College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Wesleyan College students is 33.1% larger than aid received Bethany Lutheran College ($27,568 vs. $20,705)

BLC vs. VWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bethany Lutheran College (1074) is 92 points higher than at VWC (982)
  • Incoming BLC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at VWC (22)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at VWC (3.39)
  • VWC has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than BLC (58.5%)

BLC vs. VWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or VWC? 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 VWC and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at BLC is higher than Virginia Wesleyan College (53% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Wesleyan College earn on average $4,400 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than VWC graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • BLC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than VWC graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VWC students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 57%)

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