Berea College
#1 Colleges With the Lowest Student Debt- Graduation Rate
- 60% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $43,150 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $6,106 A
- 64% less than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 19% A
- Admits roughly 19% — highly selective
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 44.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $44.7 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Colleges With the Lowest Student Debt.
Every $1 spent returns $44.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,068,537.
What The Data Says
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A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Every $1 invested returns $44.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Berea College Matters
Berea College is a private liberal arts college in Berea, KY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and low net price paired with solid completion. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 1,513
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical, Business & Marketing, Social Sciences
Why students choose Berea College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 19% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1156–1335. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $6,106 a year after grants and scholarships — 64% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,150 ten years after enrolling — 6% above the typical college, against $3,591 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.46 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Berea College attracts students who are looking for a close-knit community and a commitment to affordability. With an acceptance rate of just 19%, it’s a selective choice for those who want to dive into diverse fields like Computer Science, Business, and the Arts. What stands out is the unique work-study program, which enables students to gain practical experience while they study, aligning education with real-world skills.
After graduation, students can expect solid earnings, with a 10-year median income of $43,150. This makes Berea a smart investment, especially considering that 84% of students receive Pell Grants, which helps ease financial burdens. While the graduation rate is 60%, those who do graduate often find that their degree opens doors in various careers, allowing them to move up in their chosen fields.
When it comes to costs, the net price after aid is quite manageable at $6,106, and the median debt load is impressively low at $3,591. This financial support makes Berea particularly appealing for students from lower-income backgrounds. Students who thrive here tend to be those who value hard work and community engagement, ready to make the most of their educational journey.
Rankings
- #1 Colleges With the Lowest Student Debt
- #1 Best Colleges in Kentucky
- #1 Best Bachelor's Programs in Kentucky
- #1 Best Master's Programs in Kentucky
- #1 Best Computer Science Colleges in Kentucky
- #1 Best Education Colleges in Kentucky
- #1 Best Biology Colleges in Kentucky
- #1 Best Communications Colleges in Kentucky
Can I Get In?
How selective Berea College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Berea College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Berea, Kentucky, Berea College sets a competitive bar: about 19% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,249. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Retention Rate
- 79%
- SAT Average
- 1249
- ACT Midpoint
- 26
- SAT Range
- 1156–1335
- ACT Range
- 23–28
- Full-Time Faculty
- 87%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,259
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 8:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.74
- First-Gen Students
- 41%
- Applicants
- 2,217
- Admitted
- 545
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Berea College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Berea College is $51,658, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,106. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,428 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $3,591 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $51,658
- Out-of-State
- $51,658
- Avg Net Price
- $6,106
- Median Debt
- $3,591
- Pell Grant Rate
- 84%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 8%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,428
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,598
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,132
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,700
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Berea College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Berea College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Berea College report median earnings of $43,150, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $35,676
- 8 Years
- $39,459
- 10 Years
- $43,150
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.08x
- Earning > $25K
- 44%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (205)
- 50%
- 100% (205)
- 50%
- 100% (205)
- 50%
- 100% (205)
- 50%
How Berea Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Berea College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Berea College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,106/year ($24,424 total). Graduates earn $43,150 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,092,961 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,068,537 (44.7× your investment). The median debt is $3,591, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 60% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $24,424
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,092,961
- Net Return
- $1,068,537
- ROI Multiple
- 44.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,106
- Median Debt
- $3,591
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 60%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-151,756,041
Top Programs
The fields Berea College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Computer Science & IT 11% $60,427 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 10% $24,580 early-career
- Business & Marketing 10% $40,390 early-career
- Social Sciences 8%
- Psychology 7% $30,487 early-career
- Education 7% $28,834 early-career
- Health Professions 6% $73,447 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 4% $22,845 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Berea College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Berea College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Berea, Kentucky, Berea College sets a competitive bar: about 19% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,249. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Berea College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Berea College is $51,658, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,106. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,428 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $3,591 in federal student loans.
Is Berea College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Berea College report median earnings of $43,150, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Berea College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Berea College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.46, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 14% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Compare Berea College
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Berea College.
- College of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO · Close peer62% grad $41,592 earn 12% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Virginia's College at WiseWise, VA · Close peer48% grad $45,325 earn 29% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Belhaven UniversityJackson, MS · Strong match50% grad $46,440 earn 50% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Brescia UniversityOwensboro, KY · Strong match51% grad $45,500 earn 35% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · same state
- Baptist University of FloridaGraceville, FL · Strong match62% grad $42,836 earn 36% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityTallahassee, FL · Strong match53% grad $44,349 earn 21% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Berea College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Berea College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.46, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 14% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note