Eastern vs. Bethel

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

 Eastern Bethel
Location Richmond, KY McKenzie, TN
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 14,324 4,686
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #1002
Religious Affiliation - Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern Bethel
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $16,222
Room & Board $10,360 $13,446
Avg Net Price $10,806 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 96%

Admission

 Eastern Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 2,489
Admitted 10,174 2,210
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 88.8%
Enrolled % 26.9% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 16/22
SAT Range 940/1185 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Eastern Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 Eastern Bethel
Graduation Rate 38% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $245 $292

Diversity

 Eastern Bethel
% Men 39% 46%
% Women 61% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 85% 46%
% Black 6% 40%
% Hispanic 2% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 Eastern Bethel
% In-State 91% 80%
% Out-of-State 9% 19%

Campus

 Eastern 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

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than Bethel based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 4,686 students)

Eastern vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or Bethel?

  • Bethel University is 70% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.8% higher at Eastern than Bethel University ($19,922.00 vs. $16,222.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than Bethel ($10,806 vs. $13,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 29.8% lower than costs at Bethel University ($10,360 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Bethel University (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 26.6% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($13,396 vs. $10,583)

Eastern vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 100 points higher than at Bethel (928)
  • Incoming Eastern 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 Eastern (3.39)
  • Bethel has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern 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 Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at Eastern is higher than Bethel University (38% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $4,800 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $4,555 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($23,695 vs. $28,250)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($245 vs. $292)
  • More Eastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 33%)

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