Liberal arts college
#1 Colleges with the lowest student debt in AmericaBerea College
Berea, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $6,106 a year
Median debt at graduation: $3,591 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#1 of 684
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#7 of 690
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#12 of 681
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#40 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#48 of 1,068
- Best small colleges in America#45 of 906
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- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#41 of 682
- Best colleges for business in America#96 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#81 of 1,238
- Best colleges for education in America#89 of 1,318
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#48 of 690
- Best colleges in America#160 of 1,829
- Best value colleges in America#60 of 674
- Best colleges for psychology in America#128 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#139 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#131 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#128 of 1,283
- Most selective colleges in America#70 of 683
- Best colleges for history in America#131 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#127 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#134 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#133 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#131 of 1,116
- Best value colleges in the South in America#18 of 153
- Best colleges for music in America#127 of 1,063
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#59 of 430
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Best colleges for economics in America#130 of 788
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#121 of 704
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#48 of 197
In Kentucky
- Best colleges in Kentucky#1 of 29
- Best colleges for business in Kentucky#1 of 26
- Best colleges for education in Kentucky#1 of 26
- Best colleges for psychology in Kentucky#1 of 26
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Kentucky#1 of 25
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Kentucky#1 of 25
Show 12 more
- Best test-optional colleges in Kentucky#1 of 25
- Best colleges for English in Kentucky#1 of 24
- Best colleges for history in Kentucky#1 of 23
- Best colleges for mathematics in Kentucky#1 of 23
- Best colleges for art and design in Kentucky#1 of 22
- Best colleges for chemistry in Kentucky#1 of 21
- Best colleges for music in Kentucky#1 of 20
- Best colleges for nursing in Kentucky#1 of 20
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Kentucky#1 of 20
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Kentucky#1 of 19
- Best small colleges in Kentucky#1 of 18
- Best colleges for economics in Kentucky#1 of 13
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.58%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.79%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,249 · ACT 25.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$23,470
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $60,718 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,487 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 41% · Women 59% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 41% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 50% |
| Total students | 1,487 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $6,106 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $60,718 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $3,591 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 58% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 65% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 68% |
| First-year retention | 79% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $43,150 |
| Admission rate | 19% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Early action deadline College website, 2026-27 | November 1 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $785 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 84% |
| Average SAT | 1249 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 588–680 |
| SAT math | 568–655 |
| ACT composite | 23–28 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 8% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computing and information science | |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians | |
| Business (general) | |
| Communication studies | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | |
| Education (general) | |
| Biology | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agriculture, Applied mathematics, Area studies, Business administration, Chemistry, Economics, Ethnic and gender studies, Family and human development, German, Health sciences, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Kinesiology and exercise science, Mathematics, Music, Nursing, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Sociology, Teacher education, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Business | |
| Social sciences | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $8,208 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Collegiate Conference of the South |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 87%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $1,006,886IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Blue Grass Airport (LEX)About 36 miles away · about 1 hour 5 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)About 104 miles away |
| Town population | 15,786Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Lexington-FayetteAbout 34 miles away · about 45 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 37°F in January · 77°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Berea College, KY |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 2.62 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.65 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Berea College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 9% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Berea College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $6,106 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Berea College?
- Berea College admitted 19% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Berea College’s graduates do?
- 58% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $43,150; the median federal debt at graduation is $3,591.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 156295
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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