Bentley vs. Lafayette College

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

 Bentley Lafayette College
Location Waltham, MA Easton, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,264 2,764
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #108 #66
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bentley.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bentley Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $58,150 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $58,150 $61,482
Room & Board $19,200 $18,640
Avg Net Price $43,858 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $33,293 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 52%

Admission

 Bentley Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,482 9,874
Admitted 5,077 3,107
Acceptance Rate 48.4% 31.5%
Enrolled % 22.1% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/32 30/33
SAT Range 1250/1410 1340/1490
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 Jan 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Bentley Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • Mathematics (1%)
  • General Studies (1%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 Bentley Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 88% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $87,200 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $274 $268

Diversity

 Bentley Lafayette College
% Men 9% 0%
% Women 9% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 67%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 14% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

 Bentley Lafayette College
% In-State 38% 13%
% Out-of-State 46% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bentley University is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (5,264 students vs. 2,764 students)

Bentley vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bentley or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 5.7% more expensive to attend than Bentley for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $58,150.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at Lafayette College than Bentley University ($61,482.00 vs. $58,150.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than Bentley ($34,728 vs. $43,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lafayette College are 3% lower than costs at Bentley University ($18,640 vs. $19,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bentley University than Lafayette College (86% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 32.5% larger than aid received Bentley University ($44,126 vs. $33,293)

Bentley vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 50 points higher than at Bentley (1244)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Bentley (28)
  • Accepted freshman Bentley students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Bentley has a higher acceptance rate (48.4%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

Bentley vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bentley or Lafayette 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 Lafayette College and Bentley.

  • The graduation rate at Bentley is the same as at Lafayette College (88% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Bentley University earn on average $6,200 more per year than Lafayette College graduates after ten years. ($87,200 vs. $81,000)
  • Lafayette College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Bentley graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,500)
  • Lafayette College graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Bentley graduates. ($268 vs. $274)
  • More Bentley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lafayette College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 91%)

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