Bethany College
Lindsborg, Kansas · Private Nonprofit · 56.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 31/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS scores 31 (Poor Value) on the CampusROI scale - one of the lower scores on this site. The combination of a 35.7% completion rate, $32,100 median 6-year earnings, and a 17.1-year payback period produces an ROI that is difficult to justify financially. Sticker tuition is $33,000 and net price is $27,686 - high for the outcomes produced. Median debt of $23,250 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.724 means graduates spend 72 cents of every earnings dollar on annual debt service relative to what they borrowed. At 569 students, Bethany is one of the smallest schools on this site. The program data is sparse - only two programs have full ROI data - which limits analysis but confirms the weak overall picture.
The data raises concerns about Bethany College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score31/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate35.7% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period17.1 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Bethany College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $33,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $33,000/yr |
| Average net price | $27,686/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $110,744 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,694 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 35.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 569 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $33,000/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,686/year, or roughly $110,744 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $22,561/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,313/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $23,250 in federal loans, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $49,694 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.72, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $22,561 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $24,432 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $27,302 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $30,580 |
| $110,001+ | $33,313 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (under $30,000) pay $22,561 net per year at Bethany - an extraordinary share of household income for a school with $32,100 median 6-year earnings. At 48.2% Pell grant rate, this demographic represents the majority of Bethany's enrollment. The risk of non-completion for students carrying this cost burden is severe. Low-income students in Kansas have substantially better financial options at Kansas public universities (Emporia State, Washburn, Fort Hays State) that charge lower net prices with comparable or better outcomes.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $27,302 per year, and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $30,580. At these price points - over $100,000 for four years - Bethany's outcomes data is indefensible on a financial basis. The net price for middle-income families at Bethany exceeds that of many Midwest liberal arts colleges with far stronger outcomes and national recognition (Grinnell, Carleton, Lawrence).
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,000+) pay $33,313 per year - essentially the full sticker price with minimal aid. At $32,100 median 6-year earnings and a 17.1-year payback, no income segment produces a good financial case for Bethany. Students and families choosing Bethany at full price are making a decision based on community fit, tradition, or financial aid package specifics that are not captured in these aggregate figures.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Bethany College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $39,643 | D |
| Business, General | $47,895 | - |
| Biology | $54,633 | D |
| Political Science and Government | $50,697 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business, General
Business is Bethany's largest program with complete data at 20 graduates, earning $47,895 at four years (year-one data not available). No debt or ROI grade data is available for this cohort. The four-year earnings figure is in the low range for business graduates nationally, consistent with the labor market in rural central Kansas, where employer concentration is limited and many graduates leave the region. The absence of debt data prevents a complete ROI assessment, but the earnings figure alone suggests modest returns against Bethany's $27,686 net price.
Biology
Biology (18 graduates) earns $29,330 at year one and $54,633 at four years, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.814 (ROI grade D) and $23,875 median debt. Year-one earnings of $29,330 are below poverty-level full-time equivalent in many metro areas. The four-year jump to $54,633 likely reflects a subset of graduates who entered medical or professional school, pulling the median up. At Bethany's cost, biology is almost exclusively defensible as a pre-professional track, and completion of medical or PA school requires additional years and debt that are not captured here.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology and Exercise Science is Bethany's second-largest tracked program at 28 graduates, with $28,881 first-year earnings, $39,643 at four years, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.866 (ROI grade D). These are poor outcomes: year-one earnings of $28,881 barely cover basic living expenses, and the four-year figure of $39,643 reflects physical training and coaching wages in a rural market. Against $25,000 median debt and a $27,686 net price, the financial case is very weak. Kinesiology at Bethany appears to be a social-fit program - students interested in sports and wellness - rather than a career preparation track with strong labor market outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.4% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Bethany College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 56.0% |
| Enrollment | 569 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,596 |
At 56% admission rate, Bethany is moderately selective relative to its scale. No test score data is published. The selectivity level does not reflect academic rigor so much as enrollment management at a small, financially stressed institution. The 35.7% completion rate is the critical data point - fewer than 4 in 10 students who start at Bethany finish a degree.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Bethany's peer schools include Baker University, Benedictine College (KS), Calumet College of Saint Joseph, Bluefield University, and St. John's College (MD). Bethany's ROI score of 31 is the lowest in this group. Benedictine College, also in Kansas, is growing rapidly, has stronger program depth, and typically produces better earnings outcomes. Baker University, another Kansas private, posts a comparable small-school profile but with marginally better outcomes data. St. John's College, a Great Books institution, occupies a completely different market position and attracts students for entirely different reasons. Among peer regional Kansas privates, Bethany's financial outcomes are at the bottom tier, and prospective students from this region should specifically compare Kansas public options before choosing Bethany for financial reasons.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethany College (this school) | 31 | $27,686 | $49,694 |
| Baker University | 65 | $25,301 | $63,855 |
| Benedictine College | 45 | $27,891 | $53,175 |
| St. John's College | 33 | $45,597 | $51,584 |
| Bluefield University | 32 | $25,573 | $48,896 |
| Calumet College of Saint Joseph | 29 | $22,451 | $46,945 |
Who Thrives Here
Bethany admits 56% of applicants (no SAT/ACT data) in a rural Swedish Lutheran heritage community in central Kansas. At 569 students and 48.2% Pell grant rate, the campus is small, financially stressed, and serves a predominantly low-to-middle income population that can least afford the poor outcomes this school produces. The school fits students for whom the specific faith tradition, small-town Kansas culture, and arts programming (Bethany has a music tradition) outweigh financial considerations. It does not fit students whose primary goal is labor market preparation - no program here produces strong earnings, and most result in D-grade ROI.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Bethany College are a real concern. With a net cost of $27,686 per year and the typical graduate earning only $49,694 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 17.1 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 35.7% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,250 against $49,694 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.