Wilmington College vs. Bethel

Should I go to Wilmington College or Bethel University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wilmington College or Bethel 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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Wilmington College vs. Bethel University comparison
Wilmington College Bethel University College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Wilmington College Bethel
Location Wilmington, OH McKenzie, TN
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 1,046 4,686
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #972 #1002
Religious Affiliation Friends Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wilmington.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wilmington College Bethel
Tuition (In State) $28,415 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $28,415 $16,222
Room & Board $10,800 $13,446
Avg Net Price $24,528 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $16,326 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 Wilmington College Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,963 2,489
Admitted 1,730 2,210
Acceptance Rate 88.1% 88.8%
Enrolled % 18.3% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/21 16/22
SAT Range 850/1010 928/1130
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, 2025

Academics

 Wilmington College Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 Wilmington College Bethel
Graduation Rate 51% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $292

Diversity

 Wilmington College Bethel
% Men 45% 46%
% Women 55% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 46%
% Black 11% 40%
% Hispanic 1% 1%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

 Wilmington College Bethel
% In-State 85% 80%
% Out-of-State 14% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bethel University is larger than than Wilmington College based on total student enrollment (4,686 students vs. 1,046 students)

Wilmington College vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wilmington College or Bethel?

  • Wilmington College is 75.2% more expensive to attend than Bethel for in-state tuition ($28,415.00 vs. $16,222.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.2% higher at Wilmington College than Bethel University ($28,415.00 vs. $16,222.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethel University than Wilmington College ($13,858 vs. $24,528)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wilmington College are 24.5% lower than costs at Bethel University ($10,800 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wilmington College than Bethel University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilmington College students is 21.9% larger than aid received Bethel University ($16,326 vs. $13,396)

Wilmington College vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wilmington College (966) is 38 points higher than at Bethel (928)
  • Incoming Wilmington College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bethel (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Wilmington College (3.47)
  • Bethel has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than Wilmington College (88.1%)

Wilmington College vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wilmington College or Bethel? 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 Bethel and Wilmington College.

  • The graduation rate at Wilmington College is higher than Bethel University (51% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $2,700 more per year than Wilmington College graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $40,000)
  • Wilmington College students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($27,000 vs. $28,250)
  • Wilmington College graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($279 vs. $292)
  • More Wilmington College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 33%)

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