St Olaf College vs Bethel University

St. Olaf College and Bethel University, both esteemed private institutions in Minnesota, offer distinct educational experiences. St. Olaf, known for its strong liberal arts tradition, boasts a lower acceptance rate (33%) compared to Bethel's (58%). While St. Olaf's student body is predominantly white (84%), Bethel's is more diverse, with a significant population of international students (12%). Both institutions excel in certain academic areas: St. Olaf is renowned for its music and Scandinavian studies programs, while Bethel is recognized for its nursing and business programs. With comparable graduation rates (88% and 87%, respectively), both colleges ensure their students are well-prepared for their future endeavors. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions' similarities and differences, and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Bethel University	St Olaf College
Overview
Location	Saint Paul, Minnesota	Northfield, Minnesota
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Town: Distant
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	86.0%	91.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Baptist	Evangelical

Admission
Acceptance rate	88.7%	47.4%
Application fees
SAT range	1123 - 1343	1240 - 1430
ACT range	20 - 28	28 - 33
Students submitting SAT score	4.0%	16.0%
Students submitting ACT score	57.0%	39.0%
Total number of applicants	2,050	6,494
Total number of admissions given out	1,818	3,080
Admitted students who chose to enroll	504	755
Yield rate	27.7%	24.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$55,228	$66,570
Average net price	$28,840	$27,729
Tuition	$39,920	$52,670
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,990 Meal plan: $5,160	Room/dormitory: $5,720 Meal plan: $6,280
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $24,534	100.0% Average amount $37,281
Students receiving federal student loan	65.0% Average amount $5,559	49.0% Average amount $5,006
Students taking out private loans	17.0% Average amount $15,453	9.0% Average amount $15,087

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,653 Men 38.9% Women 61.1%	2,988 Men 42.2% Women 57.8%
Graduate students	1,078 Men 32.5% Women 67.5%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	22.4%	N/A
International students	0.8%	10.2%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	1,819	2,703
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa South Dakota Illinois	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Business Health Professions Theology Social Sciences	Social Sciences Ethnic Studies Foreign Languages and Literatures Mathematics and Statistics Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	74.3%	85.0%
Dropout rate	25.0%	3.9%
Transferred out	N/A	11.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $108,189 Year 2: $101,406 Year 3: $114,186 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $71,885 Year 2: $80,858 Year 3: $99,647 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $99,325 Year 3: $97,047 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,998 Year 2: $66,964 Year 3: $70,318 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $63,253 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $68,100 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $61,022 Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,747 Year 2: $52,733 Year 3: $56,122 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $51,385 Year 2: $53,775 Year 3: $55,588 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,180 Year 2: $47,427 Year 3: $53,686 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,174 Year 2: $49,883 Year 3: $51,683	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $73,475 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $85,264 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,389 Year 2: $60,623 Year 3: $67,970 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,177 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $61,505 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,461 Year 2: $42,123 Year 3: $48,934 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,797 Year 2: $46,478 Year 3: $47,009 Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,149 Year 2: $38,829 Year 3: $45,715 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,228 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $44,563 Sociology and Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,528 Year 2: $31,708 Year 3: $42,811 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,398 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $41,551 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,226 Year 2: $23,166 Year 3: $38,521

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