C of I vs. BLC

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

 C of I BLC
Location Caldwell, ID Mankato, MN
Setting Small Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 1,076 902
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - Other (none of the above) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website collegeofidaho.edu blc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 C of I BLC
Tuition (In State) $35,180 $29,280
Tuition (Out of State) $35,180 $29,280
Room & Board $11,935 $8,270
Avg Net Price $22,602 $19,456
Avg Grant Aid $25,927 $20,192
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 C of I BLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,553 881
Admitted 2,150 449
Acceptance Rate 47.2% 51%
Enrolled % 13.8% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA - 3.51
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/28 21/26
SAT Range 1080/1270 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 Feb 15, 2026 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 C of I BLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • History (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 C of I BLC
Graduation Rate 63% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $37,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,995 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $268 $240

Diversity

 C of I BLC
% Men 1% 2%
% Women 1% 3%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 88%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 C of I BLC
% In-State 52% 54%
% Out-of-State 32% 31%

Campus

 C of I BLC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The College of Idaho is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (1,076 students vs. 902 students)

C of I vs. BLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, C of I or BLC?

  • The College of Idaho is 20.2% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($35,180.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.2% higher at C of I than Bethany Lutheran College ($35,180.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than C of I ($19,456 vs. $22,602)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 44.3% lower than costs at The College of Idaho ($8,270 vs. $11,935)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at The College of Idaho as Bethany Lutheran College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The College of Idaho students is 28.4% larger than aid received Bethany Lutheran College ($25,927 vs. $20,192)

C of I vs. BLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • BLC has a higher acceptance rate (51%) than C of I (47.2%)

C of I vs. BLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, C of I 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 C of I.

  • The graduation rate at C of I is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (63% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from The College of Idaho earn on average $8,400 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $2,745 lower median federal student loan debt than C of I graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,995)
  • BLC graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than C of I graduates. ($240 vs. $268)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former C of I students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 73%)

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