Bethel University
Bethel University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Bethel University Featured Rankings
- #4 Best Research Universities in Minnesota 2026
- #8 Minnesota's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #9 Best Grad Schools in Minnesota
- #9 Best Online MBAs Minnesota
- #9 Best Christian Colleges Minnesota 2026
- #10 Best Private Colleges in Minnesota 2026
- #11 Best Small Colleges in Minnesota
- #18 Best Colleges in Minnesota 2026
- #36 Best CCCU Colleges 2026
About Bethel University
According to Wikipedia, Bethel University is a private Christian university and seminary in Arden Hills, Minnesota. It was founded in 1871 as a seminary and is affiliated with Converge. The university enrolls 5,600 students in undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs. Its main campus is situated on about 290 acres on the east side of Lake Valentine just south of Interstate 694.
Bethel University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,642 | 88% | 86% | 72% | 1245 | 25 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Bethel University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $26,240 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $22,725 |
| 30K - 48K | $19,848 |
| 48K - 75K | $23,046 |
| 75K - 110K | $25,966 |
| 110K+ | $37,644 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Bethel University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Bethel University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $69,827 a year, and 93% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Bethel University 's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 4,501 | 3,234 | 1,267 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Bethel University ?
Bethel University is located at 3900 Bethel Dr, Saint Paul, MN 55112.
How Safe is Bethel University ?
Relative to its enrollment, Bethel University has a violent crime rate of 0.06% and a property crime rate of 0.06%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft).
What Is Bethel University Known For?
Bethel University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Religious Studies
- Philosophy
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Psychology
- Medical
- Mathematics
- Communications
- Literature
- Nursing
- Social Work
- History
- Biology
- Sociology
- Education
- Economics
- Political Science
- Business
- Computer Science
- Engineering
Bethel University 's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Bethel University 's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Bethel University ranks #221 in the U.S. and #957 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesBethel University ranks #541 in the U.S. and #1808 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesBethel University ranks #671 in the U.S. and #3149 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesBethel University ranks #718 in the U.S. and #3085 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesBethel University ranks #753 in the U.S. and #1955 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesBethel University ranks #885 in the U.S. and #3115 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesBethel University ranks #1165 in the U.S. and #4499 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesBethel University ranks #1173 in the U.S. and #4444 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesBethel University ranks #1202 in the U.S. and #3637 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesBethel University ranks #1510 in the U.S. and #3817 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesBethel University ranks #1536 in the U.S. and #3979 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesBethel University ranks #1562 in the U.S. and #5048 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesBethel University ranks #1618 in the U.S. and #6620 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesBethel University ranks #1632 in the U.S. and #5012 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesBethel University ranks #1773 in the U.S. and #6812 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesBethel University ranks #1951 in the U.S. and #8298 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesBethel University ranks #1975 in the U.S. and #8375 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesBethel University ranks #2028 in the U.S. and #7298 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesBethel University ranks #2038 in the U.S. and #7981 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesBethel University ranks #2191 in the U.S. and #9990 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesWho Are Bethel University 's Most Influential Alumni?
Bethel University 's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Psychology. Here are some of Bethel University 's most famous alumni:
