Head-to-head comparison
Friends University vs Bethel College-North Newton: which has better ROI?
Option A Wichita, KS
Friends University
- Net price / year
- $27,715
- Earnings, 10 years
- $52,113
- Payback
- 29.5 yrs
Option B North Newton, KS
Bethel College-North Newton
- Net price / year
- $32,917
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,898
- Payback
- 85.6 yrs
Friends University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $110,860 in 29.5 years versus 85.6 years at Bethel College-North Newton, on median earnings of $52,113 vs $49,898 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Friends University | Bethel College-North Newton |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,715 | $32,917 |
| Total net cost | $110,860 | $131,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $52,113 | $49,898 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $24,000 |
| Payback | 29.5 yrs | 85.6 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$35,800 | -$100,908 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Friends University or Bethel College-North Newton?
Friends University, at $27,715 a year after aid versus $32,917 — a gap of $5,202 a year, or $20,808 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 Friends University or Bethel College-North Newton graduates earn more?
Friends University graduates report a median $52,113 ten years after entry, $2,215 more than the $49,898 at Bethel College-North Newton. 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, Friends University or Bethel College-North Newton?
Bethel College-North Newton: its completers carry a median $24,000 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Friends University, a difference of $1,000. 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?
43% of students finish at Friends University, against 41% at Bethel College-North Newton. 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.