Bethel University

Bethel University maintains accessible undergraduate admissions while converting an above-average share of its admitted applicants into matriculated students. In the 2027 U.S. News ranking of national universities, Bethel was ranked 236, down from rank 197 in 2020. Gaining admission is relatively straightforward; the university accepted 87.8% of applicants in 2025, which was higher than 77% of similar institutions in its peer group of private universities. Once admitted, students demonstrate solid commitment to attending: Bethel recorded a yield rate of 26.9%, which was higher than 93% of peer private universities. These patterns mean that while prospective students face minimal competition to secure an acceptance offer, the university still commands stronger enrollment follow-through than most comparable private institutions.

Bethel University operates under an admissions test policy that is optional, considered if submitted. For the 2025 entering class, enrolled students who sent standardized testing results posted solid credentials, highlighted by a median SAT score of 1230. Relative to a comparison group of 30 similarly ranked private comprehensive universities, Bethel's median SAT score is higher than 80% of peer schools. In addition, enrolled students in 2025 achieved an ACT composite middle 50 percent range between 22 and 28. Test submission represents a minority of the incoming class, as a small share of freshmen provided SAT results and less than a third submitted ACT marks in 2025. These figures provide prospective applicants with a clear benchmark of the academic ranges typical among admitted students who choose to submit standardized test scores.

Bethel University focuses its academic programming heavily on professional credentials and healthcare careers, with degrees concentrated in a few practical fields. Among 548 bachelor degree recipients in 2025, the top three majors accounted for 42.3% of all undergraduate degrees awarded. The single largest undergraduate program was Business Administration and Management, General, which produced 105 graduates, followed closely by registered nursing. While nursing is a dominant undergraduate discipline, the university's strongest nationally recognized specialty is at the graduate level, where its nurse-midwifery program ranked 37th in the 2026 U.S. News rankings. These professional degrees translate into competitive starting compensation. According to 2023 earnings data, bachelor graduates in registered nursing achieved median earnings of $81,040 one year after completing their studies. International representation across graduating cohorts remained minimal at every degree level. For prospective applicants, Bethel's academic profile shows clear concentration in healthcare, business, and education rather than broad research disciplines.

Bethel University enrolled 3,603 students in 2025 across its undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education divisions. The student body is predominantly domestic, with Asian and international students representing modest portions of each cohort. Among continuing undergraduates, Asian students numbered 70, making up approximately five percent of that group, alongside minimal international enrollment. Within the graduate division, Asian students accounted for 42 individuals, while international students totaled 14. First-year cohorts reflect similar demographics, including only a single international enrollee. Female students represent the majority across every major academic grouping, with particularly high representation among graduate degree candidates. For prospective applicants reviewing the campus makeup, Bethel offers a mid-sized educational setting composed predominantly of domestic students, where both international learners and Asian students form small segments of the overall university community.

Undergraduate and graduate populations at Bethel University follow sharply contrasting age profiles that define daily campus life. The undergraduate community of 2,755 students is overwhelmingly composed of traditional college-age and dual-enrollment youth. Students aged 18 to 19 represent the largest undergraduate cohort at 29.2%, with the remainder concentrated heavily among younger peers and those in their early twenties. This clustering sustains a conventional collegiate environment centered on young adult student life. Conversely, the 848 graduate students are primarily mid-career working adults. Students aged 40 to 49 form the largest graduate segment at 23.2%, followed by candidates in their mid-to-late twenties. As a result, Bethel operates effectively as two distinct academic environments: a youth-centered residential undergraduate campus and a separate, professionally oriented graduate division serving established adult learners.

International student presence at Bethel University is extremely limited and has declined substantially over the past decade. At the undergraduate level, foreign enrollment dropped to just 2 students in 2025, accounting for 0.1% of all undergraduates. This proportion was lower than all peer schools in its comparison group of peer private universities. The graduate division experienced a similar downward trajectory, declining to 14 international students in 2025, which represented 1.7% of all graduate enrollees. This minimal footprint is equally evident at graduation. In 2025, degree recipients included only one international undergraduate and a handful of master recipients, with none at the doctoral level. None of Bethel's top bachelor programs, including business administration and nursing, graduated any international students that year, and the largest master programs registered zero international completers as well. International applicants should understand that Bethel provides an almost entirely domestic campus setting with few international peers.

Applicants exploring colleges near Bethel University have several prominent regional institutions within close driving distance. Just 6.9 kilometers away sits University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, a major public research institution ranked 59th among National Universities in 2027. Nearby in the private sector, University of St Thomas is located 8 kilometers away and held a rank of 156th among National Universities in 2027. Students interested in a liberal arts college setting can consider Macalester College, situated 8.2 kilometers away with a 2027 ranking of 28th among National Liberal Arts Colleges. Slightly farther south, Carleton College is located 41.1 kilometers from Bethel and achieved a ranking of 16th among National Liberal Arts Colleges in 2027. Together, these nearby options provide distinct institutional scales and educational styles in the surrounding metropolitan and regional area.

Campus safety records at Bethel University show relatively low rates of serious offenses, with the overall incident volume driven largely by internal substance policy enforcement. The university's crime rate per 1,000 students was 2.6 in 2025, down from earlier years. Across the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, the largest incident totals occurred in disciplinary actions, with 22 disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations and 17 disciplinary referrals for drug law violations. More serious crimes occurred in much smaller numbers over those same three years, including 6 stalking incidents, along with a few reports of motor vehicle theft and sexual offenses. Bethel's overall security environment remains comparatively calm, with routine university infractions accounting for the majority of recorded cases rather than violent crime. For prospective families and students, the data indicate a secure suburban campus where security concerns predominantly revolve around institutional substance conduct enforcement.