American Public University System vs Bethany College
Side-by-side college ROI comparison from College Scorecard data
Verdict
American Public University System has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Bethany College at 100.0%. Average median debt: American Public University System at $34,303 vs Bethany College at $41,929. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $59,100 vs $57,150.
| Metric | American Public University System | Bethany College |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation Rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| School Type | Private | Private |
| State | Wv | Wv |
| Avg Median Debt Average median debt across all tracked majors | $34,303* | $41,929 |
| Avg 1yr Earnings Average first-year earnings across all tracked majors | $59,100* | $57,150 |
| Majors Tracked | 20 | 20 |
| Best ROI Major | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (93/100)* | Computer Science (90/100) |
| Best Major Debt | $28,941* | $36,553 |
| Best Major 1yr Earnings | $95,000 | $95,000 |
American Public University System has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Bethany College at 100.0%. Average median debt: American Public University System at $34,303 vs Bethany College at $41,929. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $59,100 vs $57,150.
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American Public University System and Bethany College graduate students at similar rates — 100.0% and 100.0% respectively. With completion rates comparable, the comparison reduces to cost, earnings, and program mix; the institutional-effect-on-completion question essentially nets out.
The schools sit within a moderate debt range of each other: $34,303 versus $41,929. Read those alongside the earnings figures — debt by itself is misleading, what matters is the debt-to-first-year-earnings ratio, which captures the real burden of repayment relative to the income the degree produces.
Median first-year earnings are roughly comparable between the schools — $57,150 and $59,100. With earnings close, the financial comparison turns mostly on the cost side: total debt at graduation is the lever, since the earnings denominator essentially nets out.
Both schools sit in Wv, which simplifies the in-state-vs-out-of-state tuition question and aligns the regional labor markets students will enter post-graduation. Cross-school comparisons within the same state should weight program mix and employer-pipeline depth heavily — the cost-of-living and labor-market backdrop is effectively held constant, so program-level differences are the differentiator.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2026.