Bethel University
McKenzie, TN · Private · Town (distant) · Bethel
Private institution in McKenzie, TN · 1,671 undergraduates · 97% acceptance rate · $47,482 median earnings 10 years after entry.
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $21,8031,253rd cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $18,1681,064th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $18,168736th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $32,2701,012th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $27,2491,782nd lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $47,4821,226th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $38,9901,294th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 34.9%1,656th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 59.1%1,631st highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 97.2%1,478th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1035876th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 18914th highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 1,6711,044th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 17.0:11,598th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 31.1%1,133rd highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 103 mi (BNA)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 34 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $61,814 | — |
| Homeland SecurityHomeland Security & Law Enforcement | bachelors | $59,485 | $57,318 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBusiness | bachelors | $57,318 | $61,516 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement | bachelors | $47,260 | $50,022 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $42,884 | $39,950 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | — | — |
| Arts, Entertainment,and Media ManagementVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | — | — |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/TechniciansCommunications Technology | bachelors | — | — |
| Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| ChemistryPhysical Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyPsychology | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Cumberland Presbyteriansource
- Founded in 1842source
- Athletic nickname: "Wildcats"source
- School colors: #2E1846 and #F3C300source
- Mascot: Rowdy the Wildcatsource
- Formerly known as "Bethel Seminary" (1842–1847)source
- Formerly known as "Bethel College" (1847–2009)source
- Athletic conference: NAIAsource
Athletics — 10 sports
NAIA Division I · NAIA
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $6,004,434 (M $3,803,847 · W $2,200,587)
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitebethelu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 219718)
- Compare colleges in TNRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in TennesseeEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Bethel University vs Trevecca Nazarene UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 10 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.