BLC vs. Saint Benedict

Should I go to Bethany Lutheran College or College of Saint Benedict? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BLC or Saint Benedict 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 Lutheran College vs. College of Saint Benedict comparison
Bethany Lutheran College College of Saint Benedict College 3 College 4
College of Saint Benedict
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Overview

BLC Saint Benedict
Location Mankato, MN Saint Joseph, MN
Setting Remote Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 902 1,451
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #305
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu csbsju.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BLC Saint Benedict
Tuition (In State) $29,280 $52,700
Tuition (Out of State) $29,280 $52,700
Room & Board $8,270 $12,160
Avg Net Price $19,456 $29,720
Avg Grant Aid $20,192 $37,173
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

BLC Saint Benedict
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 881 1,852
Admitted 449 1,692
Acceptance Rate 51% 91.4%
Enrolled % 42.3% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/26 21/27
SAT Range 1000/1260 950/1220
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 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

BLC Saint Benedict
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • General Studies (10%)

Outcomes

BLC Saint Benedict
Graduation Rate 53% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,343
Median Loan Payment $240 $272

Diversity

BLC Saint Benedict
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 3% 3%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 79%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

BLC Saint Benedict
% In-State 54% 89%
% Out-of-State 31% 7%

Campus

BLC Saint Benedict
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of Saint Benedict is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (1,451 students vs. 902 students)

BLC vs. Saint Benedict Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or Saint Benedict?

  • College of Saint Benedict is 80% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($52,700.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80% higher at Saint Benedict than Bethany Lutheran College ($52,700.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than Saint Benedict ($19,456 vs. $29,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 47% lower than costs at College of Saint Benedict ($8,270 vs. $12,160)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College as College of Saint Benedict (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Saint Benedict students is 84.1% larger than aid received Bethany Lutheran College ($37,173 vs. $20,192)

BLC vs. Saint Benedict Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Saint Benedict (1118) is 44 points higher than at BLC (1074)
  • Incoming Saint Benedict students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BLC (23)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Benedict students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at BLC (3.51)
  • Saint Benedict has a higher acceptance rate (91.4%) than BLC (51%)

BLC vs. Saint Benedict Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or Saint Benedict? 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 Saint Benedict and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Benedict is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (81% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from College of Saint Benedict earn on average $16,400 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $3,093 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Benedict graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,343)
  • BLC graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Benedict graduates. ($240 vs. $272)
  • More Saint Benedict graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BLC students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 80%)

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