Bethany Lutheran College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bethany Lutheran College charges a net price of $20,148/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $80,592. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,110, 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 Lutheran College does not clear its cost — it ranks #53 of 68 Minnesota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $20,148/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $80,592 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,110 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,250/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$125,592 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Bethany Lutheran College's own numbers. Net price $20,148 × 4 years = $80,592 total. Median earnings $46,110 fall $2,250 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 $80,592 bill in about 8.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with?
A median $23,000 in federal loans among completers, or 50% of the $46,110 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Bethany Lutheran College students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $80,592 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $146,531 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Bethany Lutheran College expensive compared with other Minnesota colleges?
Its $20,148 net price runs $3,328 above the $16,821 median across the 68 Minnesota colleges we profile, or $13,310 more across the full degree.