Admit rate has ranged 51%–73% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Bethany Lutheran College is a small, Christ-centered liberal arts college in Mankato, Minnesota, where tight-knit community and academic rigor intersect. With a 39% acceptance rate and a strong emphasis on undergraduate teaching (12:1 student-faculty ratio), Bethany offers a distinctly personal education anchored in Lutheran values. Its standout programs in business, nursing, and kinesiology—plus a 63% graduation rate—deliver solid outcomes for a student body that’s 55% female and overwhelmingly residential.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
669
In-state tuition
$31,360
Out-of-state tuition
$31,360
Acceptance Rate
39% (2024)
Campus Location
Mankato, MN
Freshman Retention
79%
Most Popular Major
Business (22%)
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran (WELS)
Student-Faculty Ratio
12:1
6-Year Graduation Rate
63%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$46,110
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.3×
Median debt at graduation
$23,000
Graduation rate
55%
First-year retention
72%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
75%
Pell (lower-income) share
50%
Endowment / student
$72,155
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Business Administration, Management and Operations$38,289
Biology, General$29,685
Communication and Media Studies$27,488
Fine and Studio Arts$25,194
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
90
Summer high
82°F
Winter low
10°F
Annual rain
36.6"
Annual snow
39"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Low
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
13
Scholarly works
87
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
0.8%
Bottom → top quintile
12%
From bottom quintile
7%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Bethany Lutheran College?
Bethany Lutheran College's acceptance rate is approximately 39% (Mankato, MN), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Bethany Lutheran College?
Admitted students at Bethany Lutheran College typically score 1040–1180 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Bethany Lutheran College cost?
At Bethany Lutheran College, the average net price (after aid) is about $20,148 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Bethany Lutheran College?
Bethany Lutheran College enrolls approximately 669 undergraduate students.
Where is Bethany Lutheran College located?
Bethany Lutheran College is located in Mankato, MN.
Admissions
Bethany Lutheran College is moderately selective, with a 39% acceptance rate (514 admitted from 1,319 applicants in 2024). The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1090–1200 on the SAT or 21–26 on the ACT, and 36% of enrollees have a GPA of 3.75 or higher. Applications are due by August 1, though the college notes its rolling admissions policy allows flexibility. Notably, Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. have been reported as high as 72.6% in prior years (Fall 2020), suggesting fluctuating selectivity.
Bethany offers 35 majors, most leading to a B.A. (except nursing, which grants a B.S.N.). The most popular programs are business administration (22% of graduates), kinesiology (8%), and . Small classes (12:1 student-faculty ratio) and a define the academic experience. Pre-professional tracks (law, medicine, dentistry) are robust, and the college emphasizes and faculty mentorship. The outpaces many regional peers, though only .
With 856 undergraduates (55% female, 45% male), Bethany’s campus thrives on close-knit, faith-driven community. Students praise the easy transition from high school, citing the small size and walkable campus. Residential life is central—most students live on campus in dorms that foster “Christ-centered living” with strict quiet hours and community standards. Traditions include weekly chapel services and intramural sports. The Minnesota location means harsh winters but also access to Mankato’s college-town amenities.
Bethany’s 63% six-year graduation rate (52.99% for Pell recipients) reflects its strong support for first-gen and low-income students—it’s nationally ranked for social mobility. Graduates earn a median $36,427 one year post-degree, though long-term salary data is sparse. The 79% freshman retention rate suggests high student satisfaction. Notably, 43% graduate in four years, indicating some students take longer, possibly due to work or financial constraints.
Bethany’s average net price is $19,400 after aid (tuition, room, and board minus grants). 75% of students receive scholarships or grants, with an average aid package of $23,113. The college emphasizes affordability, offering a net price calculator to estimate individualized costs. While sticker price isn’t cited in sources, the net cost is below the national average for private colleges, aided by Bethany’s Lutheran Church affiliation and Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements..
Bethany Lutheran punches above its weight with a highly personal education (12:1 ratio) and unusually strong outcomes for lower-income students. Its Lutheran identity shapes everything from chapel requirements to dorm life, creating a tight community that’s not for everyone but deeply valued by those who stay (79% retention). The business and nursing programs deliver practical ROI, while the kinesiology department attracts athletes. For Minnesotans—and Lutherans especially—it’s a low-cost, high-touch alternative to larger Christian colleges.
Bethany Lutheran College logo · sourceExplore Campus Facilities at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato · sourceCampus Map, Parking & Directions for Bethany Lutheran College · sourceBethany Lutheran College - Study Minnesota : Study Minnesota · source
