Acceptance Rate
19%
Avg. SAT
1335
75th percentile
“Earn your tuition-free liberal arts degree through hands-on campus work at America's pioneering interracial college.”
Berea, KY
Location
Town
Campus Setting
You'll step into a legacy forged in 1855 by abolitionist John G. Fee, who founded Berea as the South's first interracial and coeducational college amid Civil War tensions—surviving arson attempts and exile to uphold its radical commitment to equality. Today, Berea selects exclusively low-income students (family income under $60,000 on average), half from Appalachia, creating a community of first-generation strivers who roll up their sleeves for 10-15 hours weekly on 130 work crews, from weaving brooms to farming organic plots. Hardworking, resilient types who value service over glamour thrive here, but if you crave urban buzz or a lighter load, the earnest, no-frills vibe in tiny Berea, Kentucky—a quirky mountain town 45 minutes from Lexington known for its handmade crafts—might feel isolating.
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+29
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In classrooms capped by a 9:1 student-faculty ratio tighter than most liberal arts peers, professors ditch lectures for discussions that weave your work experiences—like staffing the college's historic brooms or sustainable farms—into lessons on Appalachian studies, environmental science, or nursing. You can dive into niche strengths like the entrepreneurship program that turns crafts into businesses or research on sustainable agriculture, but tradeoffs hit hard: no graduate programs mean undergrad focus only, and the demanding work schedule squeezes elective flexibility compared to less hands-on schools.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
1,527 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
44%
Black / African American
19%
Hispanic / Latino
16%
Asian
4%
Other / Multi-racial
17%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Berea, KY
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
Picture your week kicking off with morning Convocation—a quirky all-campus gathering of songs and speakers—then splitting time between small seminars, a shift glazing pottery or tending goats, and evenings hiking the college's 8,000 acres of woods or jamming at Friday night square dances. All 1,500 undergrads live on campus in single-sex dorms fostering tight bonds without Greek life, but the no-parties-hard social scene suits introverts and collaborators over extroverted partiers. Traditions like the Christmas candle service light up the year, yet rural winters and a work ethic that leaves little downtime challenge those unused to the grind.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$3,447
$30K – $48K
$1,902
$48K – $75K
$4,414
$75K – $110K
$12,260
$110K+
$10,396
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
79%
4 Years Graduation Rate
60%
6 Years Graduation Rate
80%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$43,150
79% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Berea College and return in the fall. 60% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 80% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
60%
4-6 years
20%
Non-grad
20%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$44,300
Acceptance
19%
Undergrads
1,527
4-Year Grad Rate
60%
Endowment
$879M
Berea, KY 40404-2182
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