Bethel University
Mishawaka, Indiana · Private Nonprofit · 97.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 34/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Bethel University (Indiana) scores 34/100 in the Below Benchmark tier. The fundamentals: a 53.2% completion rate, median ten-year earnings of $48,860, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.694. The structural drag is the repayment rate - only 55.6% of borrowers are progressing on loans three years after entry (12/100 sub-score), one of the school's weakest metrics. Published tuition is $34,600 with net price after aid of $18,610 - a substantial discount. Four-year cost runs $74,440 against $25,000 median debt and the 15.5-year payback period reflects a modest 18.6% earnings premium. The nursing program is the clear bright spot ($68,848 first-year earnings, B grade), but kinesiology, human services, and interdisciplinary majors show debt-to-earnings ratios at or above 1.0, dragging the overall picture down. Of note: median debt in interdisciplinary studies hits $46,989 - well above the institutional average, suggesting some programs are pricing students into unsustainable debt loads. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, Bethel is a small (1,008 enrolled) Indiana Christian liberal arts where program-level outcomes vary sharply.
How Bethel University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score34/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period15.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Bethel University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,600/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,600/yr |
| Average net price | $18,610/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $74,440 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,860 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,008 |
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: $34,600/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $18,610/year, or roughly $74,440 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 $17,580/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,871/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,000) and comes to 0.69, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $17,580 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,572 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,673 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,645 |
| $110,001+ | $25,871 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $17,580 per year, or roughly $70,000 over four years. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays less ($12,572), an inverted bracket worth flagging - the school's aid algorithm appears to favor the second-lowest income tier. Pell-eligible students should run the calculator carefully.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households in the $48,001-$75,000 range pay $12,673 annually - significantly below the school-wide $18,610 average and tied with the next-lower bracket. Over four years that's only $51,000, a genuinely workable price point. This is the income bracket where Bethel's aid math works best.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $25,871 per year, or about $103,000 over four years - well above sticker net price as institutional aid drops off.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Bethel University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $73,384 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $58,731 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $45,222 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $48,243 | F |
| Business Administration and Management | $68,689 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $45,366 | D |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $37,149 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $53,186 | - |
| American Sign Language | $35,783 | - |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $53,152 | F |
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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Bethel's standout: 36 graduates per year, $68,848 first-year earnings rising to $73,384 by year four, against $28,500 median debt. Debt-to-earnings of 0.414 yields a B grade. RN licensure plus the strong Northern Indiana / South Bend healthcare labor market produce a clear ROI win. This program alone is the strongest reason to consider Bethel.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration produces 25 graduates with $50,112 first-year earnings rising to $58,731 by year four. Students who pursue internships with South Bend / Mishawaka area employers and graduate into local roles see the most consistent ROI.
Teacher Education
Teacher education produces 23 graduates with $44,583 first-year earnings climbing modestly to $45,222 by year four. The 0.606 debt-to-earnings ratio and C grade reflect typical teacher economics: meaningful first-job earnings but slow growth. PSLF eligibility for public school teachers significantly improves real ROI for those who structure repayment accordingly.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology produces 16 graduates with $26,799 first-year earnings against $27,000 median debt - a 1.008 ratio and F grade. Four-year earnings of $48,243 show meaningful growth but the starting point is rough. Most graduates need a master's, DPT, or licensure step to reach real earning power; treat the bachelor's as preparation, not the destination.
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
Interdisciplinary studies produces only 6 graduates but carries the highest median debt at $46,989 - nearly twice the school average - against $33,596 first-year earnings. A 1.399 ratio and F grade. This program is producing the worst per-student debt outcomes at the institution; the small sample size means individual circumstances vary, but the pattern is concerning.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 44.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 55.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Bethel University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
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 | 97.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-580 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,008 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,402 |
Bethel admits 97.7% of applicants - essentially open admission. SAT mid-50% ranges sit at 440-570 math and 460-580 reading, with ACT composite 16-24. The 53.2% completion rate is consistent: roughly half of entering students finish. Prospective students should treat persistence support, mentorship, and faith-based community as the real value-adds beyond classroom rigor.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel University (this school) | 34 | $18,610 | $48,860 |
| Butler University | 79 | $36,041 | $77,235 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
| Anderson University | 32 | $25,021 | $48,899 |
| Hilbert College | 32 | $22,723 | $48,309 |
Who Thrives Here
Bethel fits students drawn to a small Christian liberal arts environment in north-central Indiana (1,008 enrolled). The 33.5% Pell rate is moderate. Outcomes strongly bifurcate by major: nursing graduates do well, business graduates do okay, and most other tracks struggle on the earnings side.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Bethel University scores 34/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $18,610 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,860 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 15.5 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 55.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Bethel University: Common Questions
Is Bethel University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Bethel University scores 34/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $18,610 a year after aid against $48,860 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 15.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Bethel University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $18,610 a year, or roughly $74,440 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Bethel University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,860 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,060 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Bethel University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 15.5 years for Bethel University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Bethel University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Bethel University?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.2%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.