Shorter vs. Bethany College

Should I go to Shorter University or Bethany College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Shorter or Bethany College 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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Shorter University vs. Bethany College comparison
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Overview

Shorter Bethany College
Location Rome, GA Bethany, WV
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,447 671
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #977
Religious Affiliation Baptist Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shorter.edu bethanywv.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shorter Bethany College
Tuition (In State) $23,514 $31,920
Tuition (Out of State) $23,514 $31,920
Room & Board $9,784 $12,936
Avg Net Price $16,692 $16,844
Avg Grant Aid $18,168 $32,293
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Shorter Bethany College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 2,435
Admitted 759 1,473
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 60.5%
Enrolled % 35.4% 16.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 18/26
SAT Range 900/1130 870/1110
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 25, 2025

Academics

Shorter Bethany College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Human Services (8%)

Outcomes

Shorter Bethany College
Graduation Rate 47% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $44,000
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,418 $30,884
Median Loan Payment $293 $319

Diversity

Shorter Bethany College
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 5% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 51%
% Black 24% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 20%

Students

Shorter Bethany College
% In-State 81% 20%
% Out-of-State 16% 80%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Shorter University is larger than than Bethany College based on total student enrollment (1,447 students vs. 671 students)

Shorter vs. Bethany College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shorter or Bethany College?

  • Bethany College is 35.7% more expensive to attend than Shorter for in-state tuition ($31,920.00 vs. $23,514.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.7% higher at Bethany College than Shorter University ($31,920.00 vs. $23,514.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shorter University than Bethany College ($16,692 vs. $16,844)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 32.2% lower than costs at Bethany College ($9,784 vs. $12,936)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Bethany College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany College students is 77.7% larger than aid received Shorter University ($32,293 vs. $18,168)

Shorter vs. Bethany College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shorter University (969) is 62 points higher than at Bethany College (907)
  • Incoming Shorter students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bethany College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Shorter students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at Bethany College (2.85)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Bethany College (60.5%)

Shorter vs. Bethany College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shorter or Bethany College? 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 Bethany College and Shorter.

  • The graduation rate at Bethany College is higher than Shorter University (48% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $5,300 more per year than Bethany College graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $44,000)
  • Shorter University students graduate with a $2,466 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethany College graduates. ($28,418 vs. $30,884)
  • Shorter graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Bethany College graduates. ($293 vs. $319)
  • More Bethany College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 38%)

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