EIU vs. Bethel

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

 EIU Bethel
Location Charleston, IL McKenzie, TN
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 8,857 4,686
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #672 #1002
Religious Affiliation - Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EIU Bethel
Tuition (In State) $9,709 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $12,136 $16,222
Room & Board $10,812 $13,446
Avg Net Price $13,380 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $11,773 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 EIU Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,584 2,489
Admitted 7,873 2,210
Acceptance Rate 68% 88.8%
Enrolled % 11.1% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22
SAT Range 900/1120 928/1130
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

Academics

 EIU Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 EIU Bethel
Graduation Rate 59% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $244 $292

Diversity

 EIU Bethel
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 46%
% Black 19% 40%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 EIU Bethel
% In-State 91% 80%
% Out-of-State 7% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Illinois University is larger than than Bethel based on total student enrollment (8,857 students vs. 4,686 students)

EIU vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or Bethel?

  • Bethel University is 67.1% more expensive to attend than EIU for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $9,709.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.7% higher at Bethel than Eastern Illinois University ($16,222.00 vs. $12,136.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Illinois University than Bethel ($13,380 vs. $13,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Illinois University are 24.4% lower than costs at Bethel University ($10,812 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University than Bethel University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 13.8% larger than aid received Eastern Illinois University ($13,396 vs. $11,773)

EIU vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Illinois University (1010) is 82 points higher than at Bethel (928)
  • Incoming EIU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Bethel (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at EIU (3.39)
  • Bethel has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than EIU (68%)

EIU vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU 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 EIU.

  • The graduation rate at EIU is higher than Bethel University (59% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Illinois University earn on average $800 more per year than Bethel graduates after ten years. ($43,500 vs. $42,700)
  • Eastern Illinois University students graduate with a $4,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($23,650 vs. $28,250)
  • EIU graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($244 vs. $292)
  • More EIU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 33%)

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