BLC vs. Stephens College

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

 BLC Stephens College
Location Mankato, MN Columbia, MO
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 902 532
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu stephens.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC Stephens College
Tuition (In State) $29,280 $27,000
Tuition (Out of State) $29,280 $27,000
Room & Board $8,270 $13,098
Avg Net Price $19,456 $23,261
Avg Grant Aid $20,192 $19,424
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 BLC Stephens College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 881 414
Admitted 449 379
Acceptance Rate 51% 91.5%
Enrolled % 42.3% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/26 16/23
SAT Range 1000/1260 1130/1270
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 Nov 1, 2025

Academics

 BLC Stephens College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (36%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (6%)
  • English and Literature (4%)

Outcomes

 BLC Stephens College
Graduation Rate 53% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $279

Diversity

 BLC Stephens College
% Men 2% 5%
% Women 3% 28%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 88% 69%
% Black 3% 15%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 1% 6%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BLC Stephens College
% In-State 54% 54%
% Out-of-State 31% 41%

Campus

 BLC Stephens 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

  • Bethany Lutheran College is larger than than Stephens College based on total student enrollment (902 students vs. 532 students)

BLC vs. Stephens College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or Stephens College?

  • Bethany Lutheran College is 8.4% more expensive to attend than Stephens College for in-state tuition ($29,280.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.4% higher at BLC than Stephens College ($29,280.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than Stephens College ($19,456 vs. $23,261)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 58.4% lower than costs at Stephens College ($8,270 vs. $13,098)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College as Stephens College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 4% larger than aid received Stephens College ($20,192 vs. $19,424)

BLC vs. Stephens College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bethany Lutheran College (1074) is 38 points higher than at Stephens College (1036)
  • Incoming BLC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Stephens College (22)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Stephens College (3.27)
  • Stephens College has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than BLC (51%)

BLC vs. Stephens College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stephens College is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (55% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Stephens College earn on average $100 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Stephens College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • BLC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Stephens College graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Stephens College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 63%)

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