Head-to-head comparison
Kansas Wesleyan University vs Bethany College: which has better ROI?
Option A Salina, KS
Kansas Wesleyan University
- Net price / year
- $22,671
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,152
- Payback
- 32.5 yrs
Option B Lindsborg, KS
Bethany College
- Net price / year
- $27,686
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,694
- Payback
- 83 yrs
Kansas Wesleyan University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $90,684 in 32.5 years versus 83 years at Bethany College, on median earnings of $51,152 vs $49,694 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Kansas Wesleyan University | Bethany College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $22,671 | $27,686 |
| Total net cost | $90,684 | $110,744 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,152 | $49,694 |
| Median debt | $23,250 | $23,250 |
| Payback | 32.5 yrs | 83 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$34,844 | -$84,064 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Kansas Wesleyan University or Bethany College?
Kansas Wesleyan University, at $22,671 a year after aid versus $27,686 — a gap of $5,015 a year, or $20,060 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 Kansas Wesleyan University or Bethany College graduates earn more?
Kansas Wesleyan University graduates report a median $51,152 ten years after entry, $1,458 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, Kansas Wesleyan University or Bethany College?
Completers at both borrow a median $23,250, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
49% of students finish at Kansas Wesleyan University, 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.