BLC vs. MCAD

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

 BLC MCAD
Location Mankato, MN Minneapolis, MN
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 830 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC MCAD
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $42,110
Room & Board $8,270 $7,290
Avg Net Price $18,525 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 BLC MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 668
Admitted 389 380
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 56.9%
Enrolled % 45.2% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/25 19/27
SAT Range 990/1290 1170/1380
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, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 BLC MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 BLC MCAD
Graduation Rate 53% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $240 $266

Diversity

 BLC MCAD
% Men 48% 31%
% Women 52% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 59%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 16%

Students

 BLC MCAD
% In-State 59% 61%
% Out-of-State 23% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bethany Lutheran College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (830 students vs. 821 students)

BLC vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or MCAD?

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 48.6% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($42,110.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.6% higher at MCAD than Bethany Lutheran College ($42,110.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than MCAD ($18,525 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 13.4% lower than costs at Bethany Lutheran College ($7,290 vs. $8,270)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College as Minneapolis College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 25.7% larger than aid received Bethany Lutheran College ($26,025 vs. $20,705)

BLC vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (1096) is 22 points higher than at BLC (1074)
  • Incoming MCAD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BLC (23)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • BLC has a higher acceptance rate (58.5%) than MCAD (56.9%)

BLC vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or MCAD? 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 MCAD and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (70% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Minneapolis College of Art and Design earn on average $4,200 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,750)
  • BLC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($240 vs. $266)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 74%)

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