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Colleges of Distinction: Kentucky

Berea College

Berea, Kentucky

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Founded in 1855 by abolitionists, Berea was the first interracial, coeducational college in the South. That origin still shapes the campus ethos: rigorous liberal arts study, inclusive community, and education as a vehicle for social mobility. 

Every admitted student receives Berea’s No-Tuition Promise Scholarship. Combined with a required campus work program, the model lets most students finish with little (often zero!) educational debt, keeping doors open to graduate school, service, and early-career flexibility.

Get to know Berea College

1,487
Degree-Seeking Undergraduates
Enrolled female students
59%
 
Enrolled male students
41%
 
Gender Ratio
Full-time students
99%
 
Part-time students
1%
 
Full-time to Part-time Ratio
-0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%19%20%21%22%23%24%25%26%27%28%29%30%31%32%33%34%35%36%37%38%39%40%41%42%43%44%45%46%47%48%49%50%51%52%53%54%55%56%57%58%59%60%61%62%63%64%65%66%67%68%69%70%71%72%73%74%75%76%77%78%79%80%81%82%83%84%85%86%87%88%89%90%91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%100%
Retention rate
Full-time faculty
82%
 
Adjuncts
18%
 
Faculty Ratio
9:1
Student/teacher ratio
$48,600
Full-time tuition cost
-0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%19%20%21%22%23%24%25%26%27%28%29%30%31%32%33%34%35%36%37%38%39%40%41%42%43%44%45%46%47%48%49%50%51%52%53%54%55%56%57%58%59%60%61%62%63%64%65%66%67%68%69%70%71%72%73%74%75%76%77%78%79%80%81%82%83%84%85%86%87%88%89%90%91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%100%
6-year graduation rate
-0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%19%20%21%22%23%24%25%26%27%28%29%30%31%32%33%34%35%36%37%38%39%40%41%42%43%44%45%46%47%48%49%50%51%52%53%54%55%56%57%58%59%60%61%62%63%64%65%66%67%68%69%70%71%72%73%74%75%76%77%78%79%80%81%82%83%84%85%86%87%88%89%90%91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%100%
Acceptance rate
-0%1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%10%11%12%13%14%15%16%17%18%19%20%21%22%23%24%25%26%27%28%29%30%31%32%33%34%35%36%37%38%39%40%41%42%43%44%45%46%47%48%49%50%51%52%53%54%55%56%57%58%59%60%61%62%63%64%65%66%67%68%69%70%71%72%73%74%75%76%77%78%79%80%81%82%83%84%85%86%87%88%89%90%91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%100%
Out-of-state students

College Highlights

Engaged Students
Great Teaching
Vibrant Communities
Successful Outcomes
Admission & Aid
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Engaged Students

Hands-on learning is part of the Berea curriculum from the start. Courses across the majors include labs, practicums, community projects, and faculty-led research so students apply theory in real settings and build a portfolio of work well before senior year. 

Every student also participates in the Labor Program, which includes a minimum of 10 hours per week in a paid campus role. This unique model not only helps cover educational expenses, but it enriches students’ work experience in preparation for life after college. Roles span everything from sustainable agriculture and crafts to IT support and research assistance, and many lead to summer placements with nonprofit partners.

ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 8%
Hispanic/Latine: 16%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 19%
White, non-Hispanic: 44%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 4%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 8%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 1%

Great Teaching

Small classes keep instruction personal and practical. In the sciences and engineering-related fields, students move through sequenced labs and design work; in nursing and the social sciences, methods courses emphasize evidence, ethics, and community impact; in the arts and humanities, studio, performance, and archival projects deepen craft and analysis. Faculty mentorship shows up in research invitations, portfolio reviews, and iterative feedback tied to real audiences. 

Programs sit within a broad liberal-arts core, so majors in areas like Computer & Information Science, Environmental Science, Education Studies, and Engineering Technologies are paired with writing, quantitative reasoning, and intercultural learning. Students gain fluency across disciplines along with depth in their particular fields.

Vibrant Communities

Berea’s history informs a campus culture that values inclusion and shared work. Student-run organizations, service initiatives, and traditions connect academic life with the College’s founding commitment to interracial education and regional engagement in Appalachia. 

The town of Berea doubles as a living classroom, renowned for folk arts, sustainable agriculture, and outdoor access. It’s an easy of entry for internships, civic projects, and weekend exploration in central Kentucky. Campus employment, clubs, and residence life create a tight-knit network where it’s easy to lead, contribute, and be known.

Successful Outcomes

Because tuition is covered, students can shape pathways around fit rather than finances. A large share graduate with no student-loan debt, and those who borrow carry comparatively low balances. Career development pairs this financial flexibility with advising, fairs, alumni connections, and work-to-career bridges built through the Labor Program. 

Graduates step into public service, healthcare, education, technology, and the arts, often as the first in their families to earn a degree. With high Pell-eligibility and strong completion rates, Berea is nationally recognized for mobility and impact, evidence that its model of study plus work delivers durable results.

Admission & Aid

Admission

TEST SCORES
Optional

FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 588 | 75th Percentile: 680
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 568 | 75th Percentile: 655
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 24 | 75th Percentile: 27
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 26
ACT English
25th Percentile: 23 | 75th Percentile: 29

Tuition & Cost

Tuition: $48,600
Fees: $726
Room: $4,002
Board: $3,890

Contact Berea College

Contact Admissions

berea.edu/admissions
(859) 985-3500
askadmissions@berea.edu

Campus Location

101 Chestnut St.
Berea, KY 40404

(859) 985-3000

Visit Berea College Online

berea.edu

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