Bethany College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bethany College charges a net price of $27,686/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $110,744. Graduates earn a median $49,694 ten years after entry, $1,334/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 83 years — a 20-year net return of -$84,064, a weak return — the cost is hard to justify on earnings alone. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Bethany College's 83-year payback ranks #1,222 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 5% of them, and #21 of 57 in Kansas.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $27,686/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $110,744 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $49,694 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $1,334/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 83 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$84,064 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Bethany College's own numbers. Net price $27,686 × 4 years = $110,744 total. Median earnings $49,694 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $1,334 a year of premium. $110,744 ÷ $1,334 = 83 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves -$84,064. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Bethany College students graduate with?
A median $23,250 in federal loans among completers, or 47% of the $49,694 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?
36% finish their degree — 64% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $110,744 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $307,622 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Bethany College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $27,686 net price runs $12,406 above the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, or $49,624 more across the full degree.