Head-to-head comparison
Century College vs Bethany Lutheran College: which has better ROI?
Option A White Bear Lake, MN
Century College
- Net price / year
- $10,906
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,424
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Mankato, MN
Bethany Lutheran College
- Net price / year
- $20,148
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,110
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Century College comes closer — median earnings $46,424 against a $43,624 total, vs $46,110 at Bethany Lutheran College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Century College | Bethany Lutheran College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,906 | $20,148 |
| Total net cost | $43,624 | $80,592 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,424 | $46,110 |
| Median debt | $14,250 | $23,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$82,344 | -$125,592 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Century College or Bethany Lutheran College?
Century College, at $10,906 a year after aid versus $20,148 — a gap of $9,242 a year, or $36,968 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 Century College or Bethany Lutheran College graduates earn more?
Century College graduates report a median $46,424 ten years after entry, $314 more than the $46,110 at Bethany Lutheran 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, Century College or Bethany Lutheran College?
Century College: its completers carry a median $14,250 in federal loans versus $23,000 at Bethany Lutheran College, a difference of $8,750. 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?
55% of students finish at Bethany Lutheran College, against 31% at Century 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.