by our College Data Analytics TeamHere you will find what students actually borrow to attend Bethany College: median debt, the percentile spread, total borrowing including PLUS loans, and the cost to repay. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
Among first-year students at Bethany College Kansas, 83% of incoming undergraduates borrow in year one, with a typical loan of $7,569 each — a figure that counts both private and federal student loans.
The average federal loan is $5,435, which is 98.8% of the $5,500 first-year borrowing cap for the typical first-year dependent student. Bear in mind the undergraduate averages later on cover federal loans only, whereas this freshman total folds in private loans too.
Counting every undergraduate at Bethany College Kansas, 77% finance part of their studies with federal loans, at an average of $6,396 in federal loans per year. That is 17.7% greater than the freshman federal average of $5,435.
At a steady annual pace, that totals around $12,792 after two years and $25,584 over a four-year span. This assumes steady federal borrowing and leaves out private and Parent PLUS loans.
| Undergraduate federal borrowing | Value |
|---|---|
| Share using federal loans | 77% |
| Average federal loan per year | $6,396 |
| Undergraduates with a federal loan | 446 |
| Total federal loans (one year) | $2,852,637 |
Graduating and withdrawing students at Bethany College Kansas carry a median federal debt of $9,500 in federal student loans.
| Borrower group | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| All federal borrowers | $9,500 |
| Students who completed (graduates) | $23,250 |
| Students who withdrew | $5,500 |
Debt carried by students who withdrew is a key risk signal — these borrowers owe money without having earned the credential.
Half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles shown below for Bethany College Kansas.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,750 |
| 25th percentile | $5,500 |
| 75th percentile | $23,500 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $33,035 |
How wide this percentile range is tells you how much borrowing varies across students at Bethany College Kansas.
PLUS loans — taken out by parents or graduate students — add to the total cost of attendance financed by debt at Bethany College Kansas.
| Group | Borrowers | Median debt incl. PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| All borrowers | 173 | $16,336 |
| Completed (graduates) | 69 | $29,109 |
| Did not complete | 104 | $13,688 |
For students who completed, the median total debt including PLUS loans works out to a standard 10-year payment of about $346.14/mo.
The indicators below describe what the typical debt costs to pay back at Bethany College Kansas.
A loan default — failing to keep up with federal student-loan payments — is one of the worst financial outcomes a borrower can face. Two-year cohort default-rate data for Bethany College Kansas follows.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2-year cohort default rate | 11.0% |
| Borrowers in the cohort | 190 |
A lower default rate generally signals that graduates earn enough to manage their loan payments.
Median debt differs by income tier, first-generation status, and whether the student is financially dependent.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $9,500 |
| Middle income | $9,500 |
| High income | $9,500 |
By First-Generation Status
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $9,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $9,375 |
Dependent vs Independent Borrowers
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $9,500 |
| Independent students | $10,250 |
Federal data publishes the following gap measures for Bethany College Kansas.
Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loans
Unsubsidized federal student loans accrue interest every month — even while you are still enrolled. Unless you pay that interest as it builds, the balance you owe at graduation can be noticeably higher than the amount you originally borrowed.
Did You Know?
Declaring bankruptcy does not erase federal student loan debt. If you stop paying, the federal government can garnish a portion of your wages until the loans are repaid.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.