Bethel University repositions tuition to increase transparency and access

Bethel University is taking a bold step to increase access to its transformative Christ-centered education. Starting with the 2025-26 academic year, Bethel is repositioning its tuition for the College of Arts & Sciences from $44,050 to $25,990. “With a clear price, our goal is to empower students and their families to make informed decisions and focus on what truly matters: their education and their future,” says Ross Allen, president of Bethel University. 

The new tuition is designed to bring much-needed transparency and clarity around the true price of attending Bethel. College pricing has become increasingly unclear, and many students don’t understand how much they will pay until very late in the process. With this new approach to tuition, Bethel will be better aligned with its institutional values and will push back on what has become the industry standard: increasing list prices and providing significant price discounts traditionally labeled as scholarships.  

A clearer price will also help make a Bethel education attainable to more students by giving them and their families—especially those who may have thought a Bethel education was out of their reach—an accurate understanding of costs. “Our goal is to provide clarity amidst the complexities of higher education costs,” Allen says. “By listing tuition at $25,990, we ensure that a Bethel education is attainable for more students of all backgrounds looking to become who they are called to be.”

Research shows that 70% of students and families eliminate a school from consideration based on its list price alone. Many students have been discouraged by high tuition rates, not realizing that financial aid can significantly reduce their costs. While this can be discouraging for any student, this is especially the case for those who are the first in their families to attend college or come from underrepresented communities. This opaque form of pricing is an industry standard across higher education, but will no longer be the case at Bethel. Bethel’s new tuition model is designed to address this challenge head-on, ensuring that more students see that a Bethel education is within their reach. “This tuition repositioning more accurately reflects what students can expect to pay, making our transformative academics more accessible,” says Paul McGinnis, vice president for marketing and enrollment. “We want students to know that no matter who they are or where they come from, there’s a place for them at Bethel.”

Starting next fall, the revised tuition structure will apply to all current and incoming undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences. While incoming students will start Bethel with the new rates, returning students will see their financial aid package adjusted to reflect the new cost. No current student will see their total cost for the 2025-26 academic year exceed what it would have been without the new tuition model. And many will see a decrease in their financial obligations. However, changes to a student's individual financial situation—such as a parent’s employment changes—could result in changes to total cost.

Tuition changes will only apply to the College of Arts & Sciences. It will not affect students in the BUILD program or graduate, seminary, and adult undergraduate (in the College of Adult & Professional Studies) programs. In an effort to make a Bethel education attainable, Bethel has been working for years to competitively price these programs. The models for these students are already transparent. The changes for the College of Arts & Sciences are one of the most recent—and most significant—steps to make pricing simple, authentic, and transparent for all Bethel students.

This change is the latest in Bethel’s ongoing efforts to provide an academically excellent, relevant, and attainable education. In recent years, Bethel has expanded programs in high-demand areas such as nursing, midwifery, counseling, and physician assistant training. And Bethel has broadened PSEO and early college offerings to reach more students. Through all these efforts the university is creating more quality academic opportunities for students to become who they are called to be and make a significant impact in the world. “We look forward to continuing to support our students throughout their academic journey and as they prepare for lives of purpose in God’s kingdom,” Allen says.

Bethel remains focused on preparing students to address the world’s challenges, equipping them to pursue their careers and callings. With clearer costs, the hope is to reach more students and equip them to become who they’re called to be through transformative Christ-centered academics. “Bethel combines a strong Christian community with exceptional academics,” McGinnis says. “Our revamped tuition model aims to empower more students to explore the possibilities offered at our university.”