Berea College vs. Eastern

Should I go to Berea College or Eastern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Berea College or Eastern 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
Berea College vs. Eastern Kentucky University comparison
Berea College Eastern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Berea College Eastern Kentucky University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Berea College Eastern
Location Berea, KY Richmond, KY
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,487 15,008
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #873
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berea.edu eku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Berea College Eastern
Tuition (In State) $48,600 $9,830
Tuition (Out of State) $48,600 $20,520
Room & Board $7,892 $11,735
Avg Net Price $4,379 $10,852
Avg Grant Aid $51,923 $11,460
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Berea College Eastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,073 17,082
Admitted 678 13,340
Acceptance Rate 32.7% 78.1%
Enrolled % 60.9% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 24/27 17/24
SAT Range 1156/1335 930/1190
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 Mar 31, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Berea College Eastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Berea College Eastern
Graduation Rate - 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,100 $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,800 $23,695
Median Loan Payment $59 $245

Diversity

Berea College Eastern
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 0% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 85%
% Black 16% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Berea College Eastern
% In-State 44% 92%
% Out-of-State 46% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than Berea College based on total student enrollment (15,008 students vs. 1,487 students)

Berea College vs. Eastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Berea College or Eastern?

  • Berea College is 394.4% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($48,600.00 vs. $9,830.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.8% higher at Berea College than Eastern Kentucky University ($48,600.00 vs. $20,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than Eastern ($4,379 vs. $10,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 48.7% lower than costs at Eastern Kentucky University ($7,892 vs. $11,735)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than Eastern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 353.1% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($51,923 vs. $11,460)

Berea College vs. Eastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Berea College (1117) is 89 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming Berea College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman Berea College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • Eastern has a higher acceptance rate (78.1%) than Berea College (32.7%)

Berea College vs. Eastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Berea College or Eastern? 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 Eastern and Berea College.

  • Graduates from Eastern Kentucky University earn on average $1,800 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($37,900 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $17,895 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($5,800 vs. $23,695)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $186 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($59 vs. $245)
  • More Berea College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 49%)

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