UAFS vs. Bethel

Deciding between University of Arkansas Fort Smith and Bethel University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UAFS Fort Smith, AR
  • Bethel McKenzie, TN
  • Setting
  • UAFS Small City
  • Bethel Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • UAFS 5,496
  • Bethel 2,936
  • Type
  • UAFS Public 4 Year
  • Bethel Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UAFS
  • Bethel #966
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UAFS -
  • Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian
  • Status
  • UAFS Non-profit
  • Bethel Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UAFS
  • Bethel

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UAFS $7,334
  • Bethel $18,712
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UAFS $12,182
  • Bethel $18,712
  • Room & Board
  • UAFS $10,082
  • Bethel $10,538
  • Average Net Price
  • UAFS $11,159
  • Bethel $13,112
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UAFS $7,715
  • Bethel $17,700
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UAFS 95%
  • Bethel 98%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UAFS 2,769
  • Bethel 1,486
  • Admitted
  • UAFS 2,228
  • Bethel 895
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UAFS 80.5%
  • Bethel 60.2%
  • Enrolled
  • UAFS 40.2%
  • Bethel 32.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UAFS
  • Bethel 980
  • Typical ACT score
  • UAFS
  • Bethel 18
  • Average High School GPA
  • UAFS 3.39
  • Bethel 3.6
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UAFS B+
  • Bethel A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UAFS Unavailable
  • Bethel Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • UAFS
  • Bethel Low
  • ACT Range
  • UAFS
  • Bethel 15/21
  • SAT Range
  • UAFS
  • Bethel 830/1120
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UAFS Required
  • Bethel Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UAFS
  • Bethel

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UAFS 18:1
  • Bethel 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UAFS
    • Business (17%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
    • Precision Production Trades (10%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (10%)
  • Bethel
    • Business (78%)
    • Education (5%)
    • Biology (3%)
    • Health Professions (3%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UAFS 23%
  • Bethel 32%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UAFS $35,000
  • Bethel $42,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UAFS 47%
  • Bethel 33%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UAFS $14,132
  • Bethel $28,250
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UAFS $146
  • Bethel $292

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UAFS 40%
  • Bethel 46%
  • % Women
  • UAFS 60%
  • Bethel 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UAFS Medium
  • Bethel High
  • HBCU
  • UAFS No
  • Bethel No
  • % White
  • UAFS 70%
  • Bethel 46%
  • % Asian
  • UAFS 5%
  • Bethel 0%
  • % Black
  • UAFS 4%
  • Bethel 40%
  • % Hispanic
  • UAFS 11%
  • Bethel 1%
  • % Native American
  • UAFS 2%
  • Bethel 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UAFS 0%
  • Bethel 5%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UAFS 6%
  • Bethel 1%
  • % International
  • UAFS 1%
  • Bethel 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UAFS 0%
  • Bethel 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UAFS 86%
  • Bethel 82%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UAFS 13%
  • Bethel 11%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UAFS Yes
  • Bethel Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UAFS No
  • Bethel No
  • Meal Plan
  • UAFS Yes
  • Bethel Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UAFS Yes
  • Bethel Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • UAFS No
  • Bethel No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with Bethel University in McKenzie, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Arkansas Fort Smith is larger than Bethel based on total student enrollment (5,496 students vs. 2,936 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); Bethel University is in McKenzie, TN (Distant Town setting).
  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Bethel University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; Bethel University 15:1.

UAFS vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or Bethel? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than Bethel ($11,159 vs. $13,112).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 4.3% lower than at Bethel University ($10,082 vs. $10,538).
  • Bethel University is 155.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than UAFS (about $11,378 more per year; $18,712.00 vs. $7,334.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 53.6% higher at Bethel than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $6,530 more per year; $18,712.00 vs. $12,182.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bethel University than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (98% vs. 95%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 129.4% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($17,700 vs. $7,715).

UAFS vs. Bethel Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or Bethel? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Bethel and UAFS.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresBethel University 830/1120.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresBethel University 15/21.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; Bethel - Test optional.
  • Enrolled freshman Bethel students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at UAFS (3.39).
  • UAFS has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than Bethel (60.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 32.2% at Bethel.

UAFS vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and Bethel? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Bethel University's six-year graduation rate (32%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn a median of about $7,700 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,700 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates have a $14,118 lower median loan debt than Bethel graduates ($14,132 vs. $28,250).
  • Among borrowers, UAFS graduates have an estimated $146 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Bethel graduates ($146 vs. $292).
  • More UAFS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.