Alma College vs. Bethany College

Should I go to Alma College or Bethany College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alma College or Bethany College 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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Alma College vs. Bethany College comparison
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Alma College
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Overview

 Alma College Bethany College
Location Alma, MI Bethany, WV
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,260 623
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alma.edu bethanywv.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Alma College Bethany College
Tuition (In State) $45,346 $30,720
Tuition (Out of State) $45,346 $30,720
Room & Board $12,624 $11,900
Avg Net Price $23,995 $17,605
Avg Grant Aid $34,736 $30,005
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Alma College Bethany College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,372 2,651
Admitted 2,180 1,721
Acceptance Rate 64.7% 64.9%
Enrolled % 15.3% 10.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 2.85
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/26
SAT Range 870/1110
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Alma College Bethany College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Human Services (8%)

Outcomes

 Alma College Bethany College
Graduation Rate 67% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $44,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $30,884
Median Loan Payment $279 $319

Diversity

 Alma College Bethany College
% Men 47% 56%
% Women 53% 44%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 51%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 20%

Students

 Alma College Bethany College
% In-State 90% 22%
% Out-of-State 6% 68%

Campus

 Alma College Bethany College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Alma College is larger than than Bethany College based on total student enrollment (1,260 students vs. 623 students)

Alma College vs. Bethany College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alma College or Bethany College?

  • Alma College is 47.6% more expensive to attend than Bethany College for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $30,720.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.6% higher at Alma College than Bethany College ($45,346.00 vs. $30,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany College than Alma College ($17,605 vs. $23,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany College are 6.1% lower than costs at Alma College ($11,900 vs. $12,624)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Alma College as Bethany College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 15.8% larger than aid received Bethany College ($34,736 vs. $30,005)

Alma College vs. Bethany College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Alma College (1110) is 203 points higher than at Bethany College (907)
  • Incoming Alma College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Bethany College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Alma College students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Bethany College (2.85)
  • Bethany College has a higher acceptance rate (64.9%) than Alma College (64.7%)

Alma College vs. Bethany College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alma College or Bethany College? 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 Bethany College and Alma College.

  • The graduation rate at Alma College is higher than Bethany College (67% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Alma College earn on average $4,300 more per year than Bethany College graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $44,000)
  • Alma College students graduate with a $3,884 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethany College graduates. ($27,000 vs. $30,884)
  • Alma College graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Bethany College graduates. ($279 vs. $319)
  • More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethany College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 56%)

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