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Compare Bethel University vs Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Paul, MN · Saint Peter, MN

Bethel UniversityGustavus Adolphus College
Cost
Price after aid (average)$28,556/yr$22,900/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$22,218/yr$12,015/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$21,500$26,774
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$22,279/yr$10,783/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$20,071/yr$13,875/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$24,963/yr$19,015/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$33,155/yr$29,674/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$228/mo$284/mo
Room & board (on campus)$12,170/yr$11,804/yr
Room & board (off campus)$9,550/yr$11,804/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,380/yr$900/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$3,090/yr$1,180/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$58,569/yr$67,613/yr
Tuition (in-state)$44,226/yr$56,076/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$44,226/yr$56,076/yr
Students with Pell Grants19%21%
Students taking federal loans44%54%
Getting in
Students who get accepted88%61%
SAT range (middle 50%)1190–1300No data reported
SAT average12491290
ACT range (middle 50%)22–2824–30
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 20–29 · Math 22–28English 22–30 · Math 22–29
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received1,6424,450
Students accepted1,4942,750
Students who enrolled430499
Accepted students who enroll29%18%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores3%0%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores34%39%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayOptional (considered if sent)Required
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
College-prep programNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
Work experienceNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate71%77%
Freshmen who come back86%88%
Typical earnings 10 years in$63,764/yr$65,607/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$41,260–$92,932$48,888–$92,889
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)71%75%
White students graduating74%78%
Black students graduating35%71%
Hispanic students graduating62%76%
Asian students graduating72%72%
Typical earnings 6 years in$55,145/yr$51,546/yr
Earn more than a HS grad76%86%
Graduate on time63%64%
Pell students who graduate57%73%
First-gen students who finish55%69%
Low-income students who finish52%57%
Students who transfer outNo data reported16%
Typical earnings 8 years in$61,932/yr$57,206/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 20% · Health Professions 19% · Education 9%Business, Management & Marketing 13% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 11% · Psychology 8%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 20% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees
2nd most popular programHealth Professions — 19% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees
3rd most popular programEducation — 9% of degreesPsychology — 8% of degrees
4th most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 7% of degreesParks, Recreation & Fitness — 7% of degrees
5th most popular programParks, Recreation & Fitness — 6% of degreesSocial Sciences — 7% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $109,260/yrRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $71,294/yr
Degrees in STEM17%25%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment1,8711,878
Students per professor14 : 112 : 1
Graduate students8481
Average professor pay$8,331/mo$8,374/mo
Full-time professors36%93%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byHigher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission
Median family income$77,426$78,420
SettingSuburb (large)Town (fringe)
LocationSaint Paul, MNSaint Peter, MN
RegionPlainsPlains
Founded18711862
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Private (nonprofit)
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral/Professional UniversitiesBaccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students0.1%5%
Men45%47%
Women55%53%
White students77%79%
Black students6.3%2.2%
Hispanic or Latino students7.2%6.2%
Asian students5%2.4%
Two or more races3.4%4.3%
Other / not reported1.4%0.9%
Special typeReligiously affiliatedReligiously affiliated
First-generation students19%15%
Part-time students12%1.9%
Students age 25+9.6%0.8%
Spent on teaching per student$9,737/yr$18,862/yr
Endowment$109.3M$313.2M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing1,5662,125
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$6,290/yr$6,980/yr
Meal plan charge$5,800/yr$4,310/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by week20 meals/week
Academic calendarSemesterFour-one-four plan
Religious affiliationBaptistEvangelical Lutheran Church
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCYes — Army, Air ForceYes — Army
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesNo
Weekend & evening classesYesNo
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesYesNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingYesNo
Student veteran organizationNoNo
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoYes
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division III with footballNCAA Division III with football
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams2019
Student athletes472859
Athletic scholarships$0$0
Athletics budget$4.7M$6.0M
Athletics revenue$4.7M$6.0M
Recruiting spend$29,423$80,032

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.