Bethany College vs. McPherson College

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

 Bethany College McPherson College
Location Lindsborg, KS McPherson, KS
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 744 822
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bethanylb.edu mcpherson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bethany College McPherson College
Tuition (In State) $29,200 $32,494
Tuition (Out of State) $29,200 $32,494
Room & Board $13,076 $9,918
Avg Net Price $29,546 $25,065
Avg Grant Aid $21,045 $21,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Bethany College McPherson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,521 1,445
Admitted 2,325 952
Acceptance Rate 66% 65.9%
Enrolled % 11.1% 26.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/22 17/23
SAT Range 883/1020 908/1120
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Bethany College McPherson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 Bethany College McPherson College
Graduation Rate 42% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

 Bethany College McPherson College
% Men 58% 67%
% Women 42% 33%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 70%
% Black 16% 10%
% Hispanic 19% 12%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 Bethany College McPherson College
% In-State 34% 31%
% Out-of-State 60% 62%

Campus

 Bethany College McPherson College
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

  • McPherson College is larger than than Bethany College based on total student enrollment (822 students vs. 744 students)

Bethany College vs. McPherson College Cost Comparison

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

  • McPherson College is 11.3% more expensive to attend than Bethany College for in-state tuition ($32,494.00 vs. $29,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.3% higher at McPherson College than Bethany College ($32,494.00 vs. $29,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McPherson College than Bethany College ($25,065 vs. $29,546)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McPherson College are 31.8% lower than costs at Bethany College ($9,918 vs. $13,076)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany College as McPherson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McPherson College students is 4.1% larger than aid received Bethany College ($21,916 vs. $21,045)

Bethany College vs. McPherson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bethany College (959) is 19 points higher than at McPherson College (940)
  • Incoming Bethany College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at McPherson College (20)
  • Accepted freshman McPherson College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Bethany College (3.16)
  • Bethany College has a higher acceptance rate (66%) than McPherson College (65.9%)

Bethany College vs. McPherson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bethany College or McPherson 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 McPherson College and Bethany College.

  • The graduation rate at McPherson College is higher than Bethany College (46% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $800 more per year than Bethany College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $43,400)
  • McPherson College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethany College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • McPherson College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Bethany College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethany College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 62%)

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