CBC vs. Bethel

Should I go to Central Baptist College or Bethel University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CBC or Bethel 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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Central Baptist College vs. Bethel University comparison
Central Baptist College Bethel University College 3 College 4
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Overview

 CBC Bethel
Location Conway, AR McKenzie, TN
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 564 4,686
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1002
Religious Affiliation Baptist Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cbc.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CBC Bethel
Tuition (In State) $16,200 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $16,200 $16,222
Room & Board $7,500 $13,446
Avg Net Price $18,128 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $9,788 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 96%

Admission

 CBC Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 269 2,489
Admitted 172 2,210
Acceptance Rate 63.9% 88.8%
Enrolled % 59.9% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.15 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 16/22
SAT Range 841/1083 928/1130
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 CBC Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (18%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 CBC Bethel
Graduation Rate 35% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,100 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $292

Diversity

 CBC Bethel
% Men 55% 46%
% Women 45% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 46%
% Black 24% 40%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 CBC Bethel
% In-State 67% 80%
% Out-of-State 28% 19%

Campus

 CBC Bethel
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

  • Bethel University is larger than than CBC based on total student enrollment (4,686 students vs. 564 students)

CBC vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CBC or Bethel?

  • Bethel University is 0.1% more expensive to attend than CBC for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $16,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at Bethel than Central Baptist College ($16,222.00 vs. $16,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethel University than CBC ($13,858 vs. $18,128)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Baptist College are 79.3% lower than costs at Bethel University ($7,500 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethel University than Central Baptist College (96% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 36.9% larger than aid received Central Baptist College ($13,396 vs. $9,788)

CBC vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central Baptist College (968) is 40 points higher than at Bethel (928)
  • Incoming CBC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bethel (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at CBC (3.15)
  • Bethel has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than CBC (63.9%)

CBC vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CBC or Bethel? 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 Bethel and CBC.

  • The graduation rate at CBC is higher than Bethel University (35% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $2,600 more per year than CBC graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $40,100)
  • Central Baptist College students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,250)
  • CBC graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($258 vs. $292)
  • More CBC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 33%)

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