Bethany College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bethany College charges a net price of $18,605/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $74,420. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,512, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Bethany College does not clear its cost — it ranks #11 of 30 West Virginia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $18,605/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $74,420 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,512 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,848/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$151,380 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Bethany College's own numbers. Net price $18,605 × 4 years = $74,420 total. Median earnings $44,512 fall $3,848 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $74,420 bill in about 7.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Bethany College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 61% of the $44,512 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Bethany College students graduate?
47% finish their degree — 53% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $74,420 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $158,340 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Bethany College expensive compared with other West Virginia colleges?
Its $18,605 net price runs $7,875 above the $10,730 median across the 30 West Virginia colleges we profile, or $31,500 more across the full degree.