Bethel University
McKenzie, Tennessee · Private Nonprofit · 60.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 34/100 · Poor Value
Bethel University-Tennessee scores 34 (Poor Value) on the CampusROI scale. The institution combines a 60.2% admission rate with $18,712 in-state tuition, $12,595 net price, and a 35.1% completion rate. Median 6-year earnings of $37,800 grow to $47,482 by year ten, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.721 against $27,249 median debt and a 15.3-year payback period. Net price below in-state tuition signals meaningful institutional aid, but the score is held back primarily by the 35% completion rate -- nearly two of every three admitted students do not finish, which is the dominant signal for ROI here. The Tennessee labor market for the school's nursing and homeland-security tracks is strong; the much larger business-administration cohort (254 graduates per year) lands a D grade with debt-to-earnings of 0.823. The income brackets show multiple inversions: $30-48K families pay $17,356 while $48-75K families pay $11,713 and $0-30K families pay $11,871. ACT mid-range of 15-21 reflects an underprepared applicant pool relative to four-year-degree completion patterns.
The data raises concerns about Bethel University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score34/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate35.0% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period15.3 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Bethel University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $18,712/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,712/yr |
| Average net price | $12,595/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $50,380 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,482 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,249 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $289 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 35.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,547 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Bethel University is $18,712/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $12,595/year, or roughly $50,380 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $11,871/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,163/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,249 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $289 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $47,482 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.72 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $11,871 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,356 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,713 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,473 |
| $110,001+ | $15,163 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $11,871 per year at Bethel -- below the institutional average and reflecting a typical Pell-eligible aid package at a small Christian college. Four-year total of roughly $47,484 is workable for low-income families, especially for students entering the nursing pipeline where year-one earnings of $71K produce rapid payback. The 31.7% Pell rate suggests the aid model is functional for low-income students who actually complete. Completion remains the primary risk factor.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30001-48000 bracket pays $17,356, which is meaningfully MORE than the $0-30000 bracket pays and more than the $48001-75000 bracket pays at $11,713 -- a sharp inversion likely driven by aid-formula step changes at specific income thresholds. The 48001-75000 bracket is the cheapest tier at Bethel. Middle-income families face uneven costs depending on which side of the FAFSA cliff they fall on, and the financial math works only when the student enters one of the strong-earnings programs (nursing, homeland security) and completes.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $15,163 per year -- about $60,652 over four years -- while the $75-110K bracket pays only $10,473, another inversion that suggests merit-aid stacking patterns for upper-middle-income families that does not extend to the highest tier. Full-pay at Bethel makes financial sense only if the student is committed to nursing or homeland security and is academically positioned to be in the top half of the institution's persistence cohort. The 35% institutional completion rate is the risk that does not show up in the four-year cost number.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Bethel University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $60,102 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $80,794 | B |
| Homeland Security | $79,079 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $62,967 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $48,730 | D |
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 Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is Bethel's largest program by volume: 254 graduates per year, $49,106 year-one earnings, $60,102 at four years. Median debt of $40,408 (the highest of any program here) produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.823 -- D grade. This is the dominant student outcome at Bethel and it is not a strong financial profile. Students entering this program should expect a 10-12 year payback at standard repayment, longer if borrowing escalates. The Tennessee regional business-employment market does not produce the earnings premium that justifies the debt level for graduates of this specific program.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Bethel's strongest financial track: 85 graduates per year, $71,315 year-one earnings, $80,794 at four years, B grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.351, $25,000 median debt). The Tennessee nursing labor market absorbs Bethel graduates into Nashville-area health systems and regional hospitals. Year-one earnings above $70K with debt at $25K is a clean payback profile -- under four years to break even. The clinical-licensure structure also limits dropout in the program's later years, which is meaningful given Bethel's institutional 35% completion.
Homeland Security
Homeland Security produces 65 graduates per year with $78,275 year-one earnings (the highest in the catalog) and $79,079 at four years, B grade (debt-to-earnings 0.408, $31,919 median debt). The career trajectory is unusually flat -- year-one earnings barely grow by year four, suggesting graduates enter at near-peak rates in federal/state law-enforcement and security roles. Fast initial payback but limited career growth runway. Students should plan for the salary plateau.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 65 graduates with $54,207 year-one earnings, $62,967 at four years, C grade (debt-to-earnings 0.576, $31,250 debt). The Tennessee corrections and law-enforcement labor market provides reasonable absorption but the financial profile is tighter than nursing or homeland security -- debt is on the higher side for the earnings level. Workable for students with clear in-state career plans; marginal for students who borrow at the upper end of the program's debt distribution.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology produces 57 graduates with $31,638 year-one earnings, $48,730 at four years, D grade (debt-to-earnings 0.938, $29,677 debt). This is the worst-performing program by D/E ratio in the catalog -- graduates owe nearly as much annually in loan payments as their year-one earnings cover comfortably. Most kinesiology graduates here are pursuing graduate work (PT, OT, athletic training) where the bachelor's serves as a stepping-stone; for students stopping at the bachelor's, the financial math does not work.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 49.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 54.2% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 41.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 47.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 60.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-550 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 410-570 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-21 |
| Enrollment | 1,547 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $3,147 |
At 60.2%, Bethel is moderately selective on paper, but the ACT mid-range of 15-21 (and SAT Math 420-550) reflects an underprepared academic pool. The 35.1% completion rate is the more honest signal of the school's ability to graduate admitted students -- selectivity is not filtering for college-readiness in a way that translates to persistence. A student in the top half of the admitted-academic-profile range is much more likely to finish than the published rate suggests; a student at the bottom of the range is at meaningful dropout risk.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Bethel's Scorecard peer set includes American Baptist College (TN), Baptist Health Sciences University (TN), Lancaster Bible College (PA), Sarah Lawrence College (NY), and William Carey University (MS). The Tennessee religious-affiliated peers are direct comparisons: American Baptist scores meaningfully lower (32) and William Carey slightly higher. Sarah Lawrence is an odd inclusion -- a high-net-price secular LAC with very different demographics and outcomes; its presence in the peer set reflects Scorecard methodology rather than genuine institutional similarity. Lancaster Bible is the closest faith-based peer with comparable scale and mission.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel University (this school) | 34 | $12,595 | $47,482 |
| Evangel University | 35 | $18,669 | $46,573 |
| Colorado Christian University | 34 | $29,500 | $50,416 |
| William Carey University | 34 | $14,258 | $43,087 |
| Lancaster Bible College | 34 | $25,480 | $44,096 |
| Mississippi College | 33 | $27,712 | $47,485 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment of 1,547 with 31.7% Pell -- a small private Christian university serving a primarily Tennessee and adjacent-state student body. The school fits applicants targeting nursing (85 graduates per year, $71,315 first-year earnings, B grade) or homeland security ($78,275 first-year, B grade, 65 grads). Both produce defensible financial outcomes. Students entering business administration -- the biggest cohort by far at 254 graduates -- end up with D-grade debt-to-earnings (0.823) on $40,408 median debt, the worst program-level financial outcome in the catalog. Kinesiology students face debt-to-earnings of 0.938 (D grade). Major selection here matters more than school selection at this cost level.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Bethel University. With a net cost of $12,595 per year and median graduate earnings of only $47,482 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 15.3 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include a 35.0% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,249 against $47,482 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.