Bethel College-North Newton

Private · Moderately Selective · KS

Photo: JonHarder (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationKS · Midwest

SettingRural

Undergrads504

Student:faculty11:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate21.5%

6-yr grad rate41.1%

Drop-out rate38.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$35k

Out-of-state tuition$35k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity52.8%

Gender diversity49.4%

International5.8%

IdentityOther (none of the above)

Overview

Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas is the oldest Mennonite college in North America, and its Anabaptist heritage runs through campus life in the form of a strong peace-and-justice emphasis woven across the curriculum.

Academics

The college has a particular strength in nursing and the natural sciences, along with a long-running undergraduate research tradition that gives students at a small college research experiences more typical of a larger university. Small class sizes support close faculty mentorship across programs.

Campus & student life

The campus is small, residential, and set in a rural Kansas Mennonite community, with the peace-and-justice tradition and service orientation visible in student organizations and campus programming as much as in coursework.

Getting in

Admissions is holistic rather than formula-driven, with the college looking for students who will engage with its values-centered community, not simply the most competitive academic profile.

After graduation

Nursing and science graduates have solid regional placement, and the college's small alumni network tends to stay closely connected through the broader Mennonite community and its institutions.

Worth knowing

The peace-and-justice emphasis and Anabaptist heritage are not a background detail here — they visibly shape coursework and campus conversation, which is worth knowing for a student weighing fit.

bethelks.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate93.5%

Enrolled mid-50%1140

Test policyoptional

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying