PSC vs. Bethel

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

 PSC Bethel
Location Little Rock, AR McKenzie, TN
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 769 4,686
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1002
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website philander.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PSC Bethel
Tuition (In State) $11,804 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $11,804 $16,222
Room & Board $8,250 $13,446
Avg Net Price $15,634 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $10,317 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 96%

Admission

 PSC Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 2,489
Admitted - 2,210
Acceptance Rate 88.8%
Enrolled % 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.04 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22
SAT Range 928/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 PSC Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 PSC Bethel
Graduation Rate 31% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $26,800 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 35% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $320 $292

Diversity

 PSC Bethel
% Men 41% 46%
% Women 59% 54%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 46%
% Black 91% 40%
% Hispanic 1% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 PSC Bethel
% In-State 58% 80%
% Out-of-State 33% 19%

Campus

 PSC 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

  • Bethel University is larger than than PSC based on total student enrollment (4,686 students vs. 769 students)

PSC vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PSC or Bethel?

  • Bethel University is 37.4% more expensive to attend than PSC for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $11,804.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.4% higher at Bethel than Philander Smith College ($16,222.00 vs. $11,804.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethel University than PSC ($13,858 vs. $15,634)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Philander Smith College are 63% lower than costs at Bethel University ($8,250 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethel University than Philander Smith College (96% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 29.8% larger than aid received Philander Smith College ($13,396 vs. $10,317)

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

  • Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at PSC (3.04)

PSC vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PSC 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 PSC.

  • The graduation rate at Bethel is higher than Philander Smith College (32% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $15,900 more per year than PSC graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $26,800)
  • Bethel University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than PSC graduates. ($28,250 vs. $31,000)
  • Bethel graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than PSC graduates. ($292 vs. $320)
  • More PSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 33%)

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