BLC vs. Northland College

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

BLC Northland College
Location Mankato, MN Ashland, WI
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 902 485
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu northland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BLC Northland College
Tuition (In State) $29,280 $40,910
Tuition (Out of State) $29,280 $40,910
Room & Board $8,270 $11,100
Avg Net Price $19,456 $24,020
Avg Grant Aid $20,192 $30,355
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

BLC Northland College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 881 894
Admitted 449 642
Acceptance Rate 51% 71.8%
Enrolled % 42.3% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/26 21/25
SAT Range 1000/1260 1096/1318
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 Northland College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (23%)
  • Biology (22%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

BLC Northland College
Graduation Rate 53% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $34,900
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,943
Median Loan Payment $240 $278

Diversity

BLC Northland College
% Men 2% 2%
% Women 3% 3%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 83%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

BLC Northland College
% In-State 54% 39%
% Out-of-State 31% 50%

Campus

BLC Northland College
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

  • Bethany Lutheran College is larger than than Northland College based on total student enrollment (902 students vs. 485 students)

BLC vs. Northland College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or Northland College?

  • Northland College is 39.7% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($40,910.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.7% higher at Northland College than Bethany Lutheran College ($40,910.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than Northland College ($19,456 vs. $24,020)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 34.2% lower than costs at Northland College ($8,270 vs. $11,100)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College as Northland College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northland College students is 50.3% larger than aid received Bethany Lutheran College ($30,355 vs. $20,192)

BLC vs. Northland College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northland College (1118) is 44 points higher than at BLC (1074)
  • Incoming Northland College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BLC (23)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Northland College (3.3)
  • Northland College has a higher acceptance rate (71.8%) than BLC (51%)

BLC vs. Northland College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or Northland 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 Northland College and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at BLC is higher than Northland College (53% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Bethany Lutheran College earn on average $2,400 more per year than Northland College graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $34,900)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $3,693 lower median federal student loan debt than Northland College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,943)
  • BLC graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Northland College graduates. ($240 vs. $278)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northland College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 73%)

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