Wheaton College vs. Bennington

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

 Wheaton College Bennington
Location Wheaton, IL Bennington, VT
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,799 867
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu bennington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College Bennington
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $63,802
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $63,802
Room & Board $12,390 $18,640
Avg Net Price $31,346 $35,108
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $47,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 98%

Admission

 Wheaton College Bennington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 2,825
Admitted 1,679 1,357
Acceptance Rate 90% 48%
Enrolled % 32.9% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 30/32
SAT Range 1260/1440 1290/1413
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 Aug 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Wheaton College Bennington
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (39%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College Bennington
Graduation Rate 87% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $31,700
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $268

Diversity

 Wheaton College Bennington
% Men 10% 2%
% Women 14% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 65%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 13%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 Wheaton College Bennington
% In-State 21% 2%
% Out-of-State 54% 87%

Campus

 Wheaton College Bennington
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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Bennington based on total student enrollment (2,799 students vs. 867 students)

Wheaton College vs. Bennington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Bennington?

  • Bennington College is 46.1% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($63,802.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.1% higher at Bennington than Wheaton College ($63,802.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Bennington ($31,346 vs. $35,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 50.4% lower than costs at Bennington College ($12,390 vs. $18,640)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College as Bennington College (98% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bennington College students is 90% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($47,860 vs. $25,196)

Wheaton College vs. Bennington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Bennington (3.51)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Bennington (48%)

Wheaton College vs. Bennington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Bennington? 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 Bennington and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Bennington College (87% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $22,600 more per year than Bennington graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $31,700)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Bennington graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Bennington graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bennington students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 77%)

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