Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Berea College #167 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Berea College earn about $6,804 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the college in the 29.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Berea College #1 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 100th percentile for post-graduation affordability. --- Berea College's composite ranking reflects a rare combination of strong earnings beyond expectations and standout post-graduation affordability — outcomes that hold even as the college serves a student population drawn almost entirely from low- and moderate-income backgrounds. Graduates earn median $42,924 four years after enrollment, placing Berea College in the 2.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, a result that underscores how effectively the college converts its no-tuition model into durable financial outcomes.
Azimuth ranks Berea College #166 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 88.8 percentile. The current structured profile shows retention at 79.2% and a six-year graduation rate of 58.2%. Return on investment ranks #1365, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,924. Graduates earn about $6,804 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 29.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 100.0 percentile; published cost of attendance is $60,718, and the middle-income net price is $8,132. Access sits in the 99.5 percentile, with 83.7% receiving Pell Grants and 40.6% first-generation.
Published cost of attendance is $60,718. After need-based aid, low-income families pay approximately $5,428, middle-income families pay around $8,132, higher-income families pay approximately $13,700. Azimuth ranks Berea College #1 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 100.0 percentile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $3,591. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $42,924, median federal debt projects to a monthly payment of about $41 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios, use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Berea College is a distinctive fit for students who want a private liberal arts education in KY without the financial burden that typically accompanies it — particularly first-generation and low-income students who need a college that takes access seriously and delivers measurable outcomes on the other side. The earnings case is grounded in real returns. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $42,924, placing Berea College in the 2.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Berea College sits in the 29.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $6,804 less than similar students at comparable institutions, a meaningful signal given the college's no-tuition model and its concentration in Business and applied fields. The access structure is central to the fit. 83.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 40.6% are first-generation students — among the highest shares of any private university in the country — and the college's tuition-free model means that median student debt of $3,591 reflects borrowing for living expenses rather than tuition, a fundamentally different cost profile than most institutions. Fit depends on two realistic filters: admission is selective, and the program mix is oriented toward business, education, and applied professional fields rather than research-intensive or pre-professional tracks in law or medicine. Students whose academic interests align with those areas and who qualify for the college's need-based admissions model will find one of the most unusual value propositions in American higher education.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Berea College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Published cost of attendance is $60,718. After need-based aid, low-income families pay approximately $5,428, middle-income families pay around $8,132, higher-income families pay approximately $13,700.
Azimuth ranks Berea College #1 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 100.0 percentile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $3,591.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $42,924, median federal debt projects to a monthly payment of about $41 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios, use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Graduates of Berea College earn median 4-year earnings of $42,924, placing Berea College in the 2.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,804 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 29.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Berea College #1365 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Computer and Information Sciences, General reports 22 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $82,491, ranked #76 nationally in its major. Biology, General reports 21 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $32,729, ranked #361 nationally in its major.
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General reports 17 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $55,830, ranked #20 nationally in its major. Psychology, General reports 17 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $40,768, ranked #318 nationally in its major.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
22 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
14 graduates
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
17 graduates
Communication and Media Studies
15 graduates
Psychology, General
17 graduates
Berea College's program mix is anchored in Business, with additional strength in applied and social-science fields — a portfolio consistent with a small private liberal-arts college focused on practical workforce preparation. Business Administration is the largest program by graduates (24 students), followed by Artificial Intelligence (22 graduates), Biology, General (21 graduates), Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (19 graduates), and Engineering Technologies/Technicians (17 graduates).
Across 25 programs serving roughly 293 students annually, 6 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. Business accounts for 8% of degree output, Education for 6%, and Arts for 5%.
The strongest four-year earnings come from Artificial Intelligence, where 22 graduates earn median earnings of $82,491 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #106 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Engineering Technologies/Technicians follows with 17 graduates earning $55,830, and Azimuth ranks it #20 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Communication and Media Studies (15 graduates, $41,723) and Psychology, General (17 graduates, $40,768) round out the top earners. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #106 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $82,491 — notable given its large cohort relative to the institution's size.
Several of Berea College's strongest programs feed directly into workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect labor-market outcomes — particularly Artificial Intelligence, Engineering Technologies/Technicians, and Engineering Technologies/Technicians. Fields like Biology, General and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services may include graduates who continue to graduate study, where four-year earnings undercount the longer-term trajectory.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Berea College's dominant program families align with national labor-market demand, and the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains how Azimuth evaluates programs across cohort size, earnings, and benchmarking. ```
Consider these schools with similar outcomes but higher acceptance rates:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Kentucky State University Higher acceptance rate (76.7 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 53 miles away; similar median earnings four years after completion | KY | 96% | $46,766 | Compare |
Asbury University Same state (28 miles away) with similar earnings and similar program focus; same institution type | KY | 63% | $45,728 | Compare |
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina Similar admission rate (3.4 percentage points difference) and similar test scores (41 point difference) with similar program focus | SC | 23% | $74,517 | Compare |
Asbury University Higher acceptance rate (44.1 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 28 miles away; similar median earnings four years after completion | KY | 63% | $45,728 | Compare |
Campbellsville University Same state (60 miles away) (earnings difference: 11%) and similar program focus; same institution type | KY | 80% | $47,650 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Benedict College Profile match using composite score, four-year earnings, enrollment and region; median earnings four years after completion: $41293 versus $42924; same region (Southeast) | SC | 96% | $41,293 | #1382 | Compare |
Claflin University Profile match using composite score, four-year earnings, enrollment and region; median earnings four years after completion: $43925 versus $42924; same region (Southeast) | SC | 65% | $43,925 | #962 | Compare |
Asbury University Profile match using composite score, four-year earnings, enrollment and region; median earnings four years after completion: $45728 versus $42924; same region (Southeast) | KY | 63% | $45,728 | #1376 | Compare |
North Greenville University Profile match using composite score, four-year earnings, enrollment and region; median earnings four years after completion: $44607 versus $42924; same region (Southeast) | SC | 67% | $44,607 | #1327 | Compare |
Converse University Profile match using composite score, four-year earnings, enrollment and region; median earnings four years after completion: $44925 versus $42924; same region (Southeast) | SC | 68% | $44,925 | #1230 | Compare |
