Benedictine College

Private · Moderately Selective · KS

Photo: Patricia DuBose Duncan (Public domain)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationKS · Midwest

SettingRural

Undergrads2,272

Student:faculty16:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate46.8%

6-yr grad rate61.6%

Drop-out rate16.8%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$36k

Out-of-state tuition$36k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity25.7%

Gender diversity49.5%

International1%

IdentityRoman Catholic

Overview

Benedictine College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas, run in the Benedictine monastic tradition, with a resident community of monks and sisters still present on campus. It has grown quickly in recent years, drawing students specifically for its unapologetically faith-forward culture, including daily Mass and active parish life, in which Catholic identity is treated as central rather than incidental. The campus sits on bluffs above the Missouri River, a setting that shows up constantly in campus life.

Academics

Education and business are the college's traditional strengths, but an engineering program is unusual for a school of this size and character and has become a genuine draw. The core curriculum leans classical, with required coursework in theology and philosophy alongside the major. Class sizes stay small enough that faculty know students by name, and research and internships tend to be pursued individually rather than through a large centralized office.

Campus & student life

Residential life is dense and communal, with most students living on campus all four years; dorm culture, intramurals, and Benedictine's own system of social clubs organize much of student life. Faith practice runs through the calendar, with adoration, retreats, and a widely attended annual conference, rather than being confined to a campus ministry office. Athletics compete at the NAIA level with a loyal following.

Getting in

Benedictine reviews applications holistically but pays real attention to demonstrated fit with its Catholic mission; essays and any interview touch on faith and community involvement, not just academics. It has become popular enough with homeschooled and Catholic-school applicants that interest runs high, though it remains accessible to a broad range of academic profiles.

After graduation

Graduates lean toward education, business, ministry-adjacent work, and increasingly engineering, with an active and geographically dispersed alumni network that stays connected through Catholic professional and social circles as much as through the college itself.

Worth knowing

The engineering program is what surprises people, a legitimate degree inside a small liberal arts college known mostly for faith and community. The campus's monastic roots are visible day to day, not just historical: monks and sisters still live and sometimes teach on campus.

benedictine.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate98.1%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1140–1380 · ACT 22–29

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying