Principia College vs. BLC

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

Principia College BLC
Location Elsah, Illinois Mankato, MN
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 338 902
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Other (none of the above) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website principiacollege.edu blc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Principia College BLC
Tuition (In State) $32,250 $29,280
Tuition (Out of State) $32,250 $29,280
Room & Board $13,370 $8,270
Avg Net Price $14,904 $19,456
Avg Grant Aid $32,096 $20,192
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 100%

Admission

Principia College BLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 268 881
Admitted 119 449
Acceptance Rate 44.4% 51%
Enrolled % 70.6% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/23 21/26
SAT Range 1040/1250 1000/1260
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

Academics

Principia College BLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Principia College BLC
Graduation Rate - 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $37,300
Making Student Loan Payments - 80%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $23,250
Median Loan Payment N/A $240

Diversity

Principia College BLC
% Men 0% 2%
% Women 0% 3%
Racial Diversity - Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 0% 88%
% Black 0% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 1%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Principia College BLC
% In-State 3% 54%
% Out-of-State 41% 31%

Campus

Principia College BLC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bethany Lutheran College is larger than than Principia College based on total student enrollment (902 students vs. 338 students)

Principia College vs. BLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Principia College or BLC?

  • Principia College is 10.1% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($32,250.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.1% higher at Principia College than Bethany Lutheran College ($32,250.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Principia College than BLC ($14,904 vs. $19,456)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 61.7% lower than costs at Principia College ($8,270 vs. $13,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College than Principia College (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Principia College students is 59% larger than aid received Bethany Lutheran College ($32,096 vs. $20,192)

Principia College vs. BLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Principia College (3.34)
  • BLC has a higher acceptance rate (51%) than Principia College (44.4%)

Principia College vs. BLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Principia College or BLC? 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 BLC and Principia College.

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