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Berea , KY
Berea College is a unique and prestigious liberal arts institution located in Berea, Kentucky. Established in 1855, it holds the distinction of being the first interracial and coeducational college in the southern United States. Berea College has built a strong reputation for its commitment to providing a high-quality education to students from economically disadvantaged families.
One of the key aspects that sets Berea College apart is its tuition-free policy. All enrolled students receive a full four-year scholarship, which covers not only their tuition but also their textbooks. The college's focus on affordability aims to break down barriers to higher education and ensure that every student has an equal opportunity to pursue their academic goals. Moreover, Berea College operates on its unique labor program, in which students work at least 10 hours per week on campus to cover living expenses.
At Berea College, students have access to an exceptional liberal arts education. The college offers a wide range of majors and programs, including fields such as arts and humanities, science, social sciences, and technology. The faculty at Berea College are accomplished scholars who are dedicated to providing students with a challenging yet supportive learning environment. With a student-faculty ratio of 10:1, students benefit from personalized attention and mentoring, fostering a strong sense of community and academic success.
In summary, Berea College stands out as a prestigious liberal arts institution that prioritizes access and affordability. Its tuition-free policy, coupled with the labor program, enables students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a high-quality education without incurring heavy financial burdens. With a diverse range of academic programs and a supportive faculty, Berea College is well-regarded for its commitment to student success and transforming lives through education.
Berea College is a private four-year college located in Berea, KY. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 19%. The freshman retention rate at Berea College is 79% and the six-year graduation rate is 58%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is March 31. For transfer students, the application deadline is March 31.
Explore this school's profile to find out all the important things about Berea College.
Quick Facts
1,527
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$50,900
Tuition
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
58%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you find out as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, your chances of getting accepted will significantly increase. Here are the most relevant facts you should know about admission policy and requirements at Berea College.
According to the most recent information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 746 in 2025. Berea College has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores if the applicant chooses to submit them.
Test Scores
6% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 35% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 12.5% of the first-year students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 45.8% between 1,200 and 1,399, 37.5% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 4.2% between 800 and 999. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 15.5, 51.4 between 24-29, 32.4 in the range between 18-23, and 0.7 between 12-17.
The average ACT score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 25 while the average GPA was 3.59. That means you'll most likely need an above-average GPA to get accepted as well as an above-average ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 628 for the newly enrolled students, while the average SAT Math score was 600.
Deadlines
The closing date for applications to Berea College is March 31. For transfer students, the application deadline is March 31.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is defined as the percentage of first-year students who return for their sophomore year at a college or university. When you create your list of possible schools to attend, you should consider the freshman retention rate, among other things.
The freshman retention rate for Berea College was 79% in 2025, indicative of the exceptional educational experience and supportive environment at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. The six-year graduation rate at this school is 58%.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the right fit for you is not an easy task. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a clearer picture of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at Berea College in 2025 was 1,527.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 54% for that year. There was a total of 1,527 students pursuing undergraduate degrees, including 138 international students. The school admitted a total of 45 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 621 male and 893 female full-time students in 2025, which is indicative of the value gender equality has at this school.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Berea College.
This school had 56 Asian students and 297 Afro-American students in 2025. 266 undergraduate students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 112 identified with more than one race. There were also 9 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to think about before you apply. Here are some data on the expenses that most students at this school have.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Berea College estimated tuition fees.
As a full-time domestic student, you were required to pay tuition of $50,900 in 2025. Since Berea College is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students amounted to $758 in 2025.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to take into account the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $750.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
In 2025, the price of room and board at Berea College was $8,208 per academic year. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 was $4,202 for one academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 50,900 |
| Room and Board | $ 8,208 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 750 |
| Total Expense | $ 59,858 |
Financial Aid
Be it a grant, loan, scholarship, or work-study program, any type of financial support can be a great deal for many students. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Berea College, here are some recent data you should consider.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 413 freshmen. The average financial aid package awarded to students amounted to $56,917.
Need-based
If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet certain eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.
There were 1,468 students who acquired need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Berea College is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was 1,468. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution reached $7,981,748, and state $5,035,393. The students of Berea College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $66,583,896, and external in the amount of $157,653.
Majors
Faculty
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Berea College was 9:1: that means 9 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 195. Out of that number, there were 51 male and 103 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Berea College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Find out some details about campus life at Berea College.
Its campus is 140 acres in size.
Student Organizations
Involvement in student organizations can make your educational experience more dynamic and gratifying.
This school has 58 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. For those interested in acting, there is a drama club you can become part of. For students looking to explore media and communication, Berea College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Berea College, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. The transport/escort service operates during late hours.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Women's Center are available to the students of Berea College.
All in all, campus life at Berea College is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Berea College.
Career Counselling
At Berea College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a job bank and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Berea College is located in Berea, KY.
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Berea College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, the tuition for Berea College is 50,900 USD a year.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Berea College is 19%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Berea College is 79%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2025 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2025 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
