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
- #9 Online Master’s in Executive MBA
- #13 Best Online MBAs Tennessee
- #18 Best Online Associate Degree Programs in Tennessee
- #19 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Tennessee 2026
- #20 Best Christian Colleges in Tennessee
- #21 Tennessee's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #22 Best Small Colleges in Tennessee 2026
- #23 Tennessee's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #24 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee
- #33 Best Colleges in Tennessee
About Bethel University
According to Wikipedia, Bethel University is a private Christian university in McKenzie, Tennessee with satellite campuses in Jackson, and Paris. It is accredited to award degrees up to the master's level. History Founded in 1842 as Bethel Seminary in McLemoresville, Tennessee, it was renamed to Bethel College in 1847. In 1872, Bethel President W.W. Hendrix led the initiative to move Bethel from McLemoresville to its current location in McKenzie, where the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway intersected the Louisville & Nashville Railway. The school assumed its current name in 2009. Bethel University student enrollment as of Fall 2017 consisted of 4,579 students. On August 4, 2014, Bethel University and the Board of Trustees officially announced Walter Butler as its 40th president, a position he held on an interim basis since August 1, 2013 after longtime President Robert Prosser retired.
Bethel University 's Online Degrees
MA in Education
Degree Concentrations
- Leadership Excellence
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
AAS in Business
Degree Concentrations
- Customer Relationship Management
- Required Credits: 60
- Format: Fully online
MBA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Academic Practitioner
- Executive
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resource Management
- Required Credits: 36
- Format: Fully online
BS in Emergency Services Management
- Required Credits: 128
- Format: Fully online
BS in Business Leadership
Degree Concentrations
- Customer Relationship Management
- Fire Science
- Business Management
- Information Technology
- Healthcare Management
- Required Credits: 128
- Format: Fully online
Bethel University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,318 | 60% | 54% | 29% | 975 | 18 |
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) |
|---|
| $18,712 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $12,551 |
| 30K - 48K | $13,382 |
| 48K - 75K | $10,783 |
| 75K - 110K | $13,710 |
| 110K+ | $17,465 |
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 $49,011 a year, and 90% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 4,547 | 4,177 | 370 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Bethel University ?
Bethel University is located at 325 Cherry Ave, McKenzie, TN 38201.
How Safe is Bethel University ?
Bethel University reported 1.0 violent and property offenses on campus per 1,000 students in 2024, fewer than most midsize residential campuses. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Bethel University has a violent crime rate of 0.03% and a property crime rate of 0.07%. McKenzie has a violent crime rate of 0.29% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 0.73%. 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); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Bethel University Known For?
Bethel University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Mathematics
- Nursing
- Criminal Justice
- Psychology
- Literature
- Religious Studies
- Medical
- History
- Business
- Biology
- Education
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 #1669 in the U.S. and #6263 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesBethel University ranks #2292 in the U.S. and #5842 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesBethel University ranks #2376 in the U.S. and #4865 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesBethel University ranks #2396 in the U.S. and #6423 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesBethel University ranks #2558 in the U.S. and #8293 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesBethel University ranks #2682 in the U.S. and #11587 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesBethel University ranks #2968 in the U.S. and #10668 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesBethel University ranks #3188 in the U.S. and #10754 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesBethel University ranks #3191 in the U.S. and #11555 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesBethel University ranks #3205 in the U.S. and #11930 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesBethel University ranks #3869 in the U.S. and #14581 worldwide for influence in Education.
education Degrees