Bethany College vs. Southwestern College

Should I go to Bethany College or Southwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bethany College or Southwestern 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. Southwestern College comparison
Bethany College Southwestern College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Bethany College Southwestern College
Location Lindsborg, KS Winfield, KS
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 744 1,174
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #453
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bethanylb.edu sckans.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bethany College Southwestern College
Tuition (In State) $29,200 $36,500
Tuition (Out of State) $29,200 $36,500
Room & Board $13,076 $9,380
Avg Net Price $29,546 $27,003
Avg Grant Aid $21,045 $26,047
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Bethany College Southwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,521 1,240
Admitted 2,325 870
Acceptance Rate 66% 70.2%
Enrolled % 11.1% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/22 17/22
SAT Range 883/1020 900/1220
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 22, 2025

Academics

 Bethany College Southwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Health Professions (4%)

Outcomes

 Bethany College Southwestern College
Graduation Rate 42% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $53,100
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $279 $266

Diversity

 Bethany College Southwestern College
% Men 58% 65%
% Women 42% 35%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 60% 54%
% Black 16% 12%
% Hispanic 19% 8%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 15%

Students

 Bethany College Southwestern College
% In-State 34% 36%
% Out-of-State 60% 61%

Campus

 Bethany College Southwestern 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

  • Southwestern College is larger than than Bethany College based on total student enrollment (1,174 students vs. 744 students)

Bethany College vs. Southwestern College Cost Comparison

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

  • Southwestern College is 25% more expensive to attend than Bethany College for in-state tuition ($36,500.00 vs. $29,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25% higher at Southwestern College than Bethany College ($36,500.00 vs. $29,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwestern College than Bethany College ($27,003 vs. $29,546)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern College are 39.4% lower than costs at Bethany College ($9,380 vs. $13,076)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany College as Southwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern College students is 23.8% larger than aid received Bethany College ($26,047 vs. $21,045)

Bethany College vs. Southwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southwestern College (999) is 40 points higher than at Bethany College (959)
  • Incoming Southwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Bethany College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Southwestern College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Bethany College (3.16)
  • Southwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (70.2%) than Bethany College (66%)

Bethany College vs. Southwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Southwestern College is higher than Bethany College (57% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Southwestern College earn on average $9,700 more per year than Bethany College graduates after ten years. ($53,100 vs. $43,400)
  • Southwestern College students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethany College graduates. ($25,750 vs. $27,000)
  • Southwestern College graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Bethany College graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
  • More Bethany College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwestern College students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 57%)

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