Bethany College
#5 Best Education Colleges in West Virginia- Graduation Rate
- 47% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $44,512 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $18,605 C-
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 59% B
- Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 15.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $15.0 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Education Colleges in West Virginia.
Every $1 spent returns $15.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,038,831.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $15.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Bethany College Matters
Bethany College is a private liberal arts college in Bethany, WV and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. 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
- 614
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- 61
- Primary Strengths
- Education, Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology
Why students choose Bethany 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
Competitive — admits about 59% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $18,605 a year after grants and scholarships — 9% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $44,512 ten years after enrolling — 9% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.52 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Bethany College, with an enrollment of 614 students, is a good fit for those who thrive in a close-knit, supportive environment. This private nonprofit school offers programs in Business & Marketing, Education, Psychology, Social Sciences, and Communications. If you’re looking for personalized attention from faculty and a community that feels like home, Bethany might be the place for you.
After graduation, students can expect to earn around $44,512 within ten years. While the graduation rate sits at 47%, this number reflects the unique challenges some students face. Affordability is a key consideration here; with a net price of $18,605, many students, especially those receiving Pell Grants (51%), can find a manageable path.
When it comes to finances, the median debt for graduates is about $27,000. This means students are entering the workforce with a relatively low debt burden compared to some other institutions. Those who tend to thrive at Bethany are often those who appreciate a smaller campus and seek strong connections with faculty and peers. It's about finding your place in a community that cares.
Rankings
- #5 Best Education Colleges in West Virginia
- #10 Best Computer Science Colleges in West Virginia
- #10 Best Biology Colleges in West Virginia
- #10 Best Data Science Colleges in West Virginia
- #11 Best Psychology Colleges in West Virginia
- #11 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in West Virginia
- #15 Best Bachelor's Programs in West Virginia
- #15 Best Master's Programs in West Virginia
Can I Get In?
How selective Bethany 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 Bethany College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Bethany, West Virginia, Bethany College offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 59% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 22. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 59%
- Retention Rate
- 54%
- ACT Midpoint
- 22
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,417
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 12:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.77
- First-Gen Students
- 34%
- Applicants
- 2,651
- Admitted
- 1,721
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 Bethany College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Bethany College is $36,765, 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 $18,605. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,315 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $36,765
- Out-of-State
- $36,765
- Avg Net Price
- $18,605
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 51%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 75%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $14,315
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $15,239
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,641
- Family Income $110K+
- $27,214
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 Bethany 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 Bethany College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Bethany College report median earnings of $44,512, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $37,124
- 8 Years
- $39,623
- 10 Years
- $44,512
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.61x
- Earning > $25K
- 55%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (87)
- 35%
- 100% (87)
- 35%
- 100% (87)
- 35%
- 100% (87)
- 35%
How Bethany 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 Bethany College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Bethany College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $18,605/year ($74,420 total). Graduates earn $44,512 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,113,251 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,038,831 (15.0× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 47% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $74,420
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,113,251
- Net Return
- $1,038,831
- ROI Multiple
- 15.0×
- Cost Per Year
- $18,605
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 47%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $1,976,512
- Investment Income
- $-1,670,307
Top Programs
The fields Bethany 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.
- Education 27% $23,930 early-career
- Business & Marketing 16%
- Biology & Biomedical 13%
- Psychology 12% $28,558 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4%
- Social Sciences 4%
- Communications 4% $34,625 early-career
- Criminal Justice 4%
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 Bethany 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+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Bethany College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Bethany, West Virginia, Bethany College offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 59% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 22. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bethany College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Bethany College is $36,765, 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 $18,605. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,315 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Bethany College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Bethany College report median earnings of $44,512, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Bethany 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 Bethany College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.52, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Bethany College.
- Lyon CollegeBatesville, AR · Close peer51% grad $44,232 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of the OzarksClarksville, AR · Close peer52% grad $44,384 earn 60% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Mount Mary UniversityMilwaukee, WI · Close peer50% grad $48,745 earn 62% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Gallaudet UniversityWashington, DC · Close peer47% grad $43,101 earn 58% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Florida CollegeTemple Terrace, FL · Close peer53% grad $43,445 earn 70% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Young Harris CollegeYoung Harris, GA · Close peer44% grad $47,195 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Bethany 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 Bethany College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.52, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note