Head-to-head comparison
Bethany College vs Bethel College-North Newton: which has better ROI?
Option A Lindsborg, KS
Bethany College
- Net price / year
- $27,686
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,694
- Payback
- 83 yrs
Option B North Newton, KS
Bethel College-North Newton
- Net price / year
- $32,917
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,898
- Payback
- 85.6 yrs
Bethany College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $110,744 in 83 years versus 85.6 years at Bethel College-North Newton, on median earnings of $49,694 vs $49,898 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bethany College | Bethel College-North Newton |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,686 | $32,917 |
| Total net cost | $110,744 | $131,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $49,694 | $49,898 |
| Median debt | $23,250 | $24,000 |
| Payback | 83 yrs | 85.6 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$84,064 | -$100,908 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bethany College or Bethel College-North Newton?
Bethany College, at $27,686 a year after aid versus $32,917 — a gap of $5,231 a year, or $20,924 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Bethany College or Bethel College-North Newton graduates earn more?
Bethel College-North Newton graduates report a median $49,898 ten years after entry, $204 more than the $49,694 at Bethany College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Bethany College or Bethel College-North Newton?
Bethany College: its completers carry a median $23,250 in federal loans versus $24,000 at Bethel College-North Newton, a difference of $750. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
41% of students finish at Bethel College-North Newton, against 36% at Bethany College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.