Bentley University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Bentley University is a private nonprofit college in Waltham, MA. Students pay about $37,930 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $120,959 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 2.4 years and adds $565,847 over a decade, ranking it #9 of 918 (top 2%) by value added.
What is Bentley University's acceptance rate?
Bentley University has an acceptance rate of 45.1%, which makes it selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Waltham, MA enrolling about 4,474 students, with a 87.5% graduation rate.
How much does Bentley University cost?
Bentley University costs about $37,930 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $176,743. Published sticker cost of attendance is $79,548 per year.
How much do Bentley University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Bentley University student earns $120,959 per year. That is $74,259 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Bentley University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Bentley University pays back its roughly $176,743 cost in about 2.4 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $565,847 net of cost, a 4.2x return on the money invested. That ranks it #9 of 918 (top 2%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Bentley University graduation rate and student debt
87.5% of Bentley University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $25,023 in federal student debt. That debt is about 21% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Bentley University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Bentley University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $37,930 | $20,299 | cheaper than 7% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $120,959 | $54,768 | 99th |
| Graduation rate | 87.5% | 57.0% | 94th |
| Acceptance rate | 45.1% | 75.7% | more selective than 87% |
| 10-yr value added | $565,847 | -$28,192 | 99th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 4.2x | 0.73x | 95th |
| Payback period | 2.4 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 94% |
How Bentley University compares with its nearest rivals
Bentley University ranks #9 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 4 of them cost less per year and 1 of them produces higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Bentley University is a private nonprofit college in Waltham, MA with 4,474 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $79,548 a year, but the average aided family pays $37,930, a 52% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $25,023, equal to 21% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Bentley University admits 45.1% of applicants.
- Babson College (Wellesley, MA; #8 of 918; 92.7% graduate) costs $2,584 more per year ($40,514 net), and its graduates earn $2,979 more ten years out ($123,938). Babson College adds $24,477 more ten-year value than Bentley University. Babson College pays back its cost in 2.4 years.
- Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (Atlanta, GA; #10 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs $25,814 less per year ($12,116 net), and its graduates earn $18,187 less ten years out ($102,772). Bentley University adds $75,263 more ten-year value than Georgia Institute of Technology. Georgia Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 1.3 years.
- University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA; #10 of 918; 96.7% graduate) costs $9,231 less per year ($28,699 net), and its graduates earn $9,588 less ten years out ($111,371). Bentley University adds $49,648 more ten-year value than University of Pennsylvania. University of Pennsylvania pays back its cost in 2 years.
- Princeton University (Princeton, NJ; #7 of 918; 97.4% graduate) costs $31,802 less per year ($6,128 net), and its graduates earn $10,893 less ten years out ($110,066). Princeton University adds $32,981 more ten-year value than Bentley University. Princeton University pays back its cost in 0.5 years.
- Harvard University (Cambridge, MA; #11 of 918; 97.5% graduate) costs $18,864 less per year ($19,066 net), and its graduates earn $19,142 less ten years out ($101,817). Bentley University adds $104,941 more ten-year value than Harvard University. Harvard University pays back its cost in 1.6 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton University | #7 | $6,128 | $110,066 | 97.4% | $598,828 |
| Babson College | #8 | $40,514 | $123,938 | 92.7% | $590,324 |
| Bentley University | #9 | $37,930 | $120,959 | 87.5% | $565,847 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | #10 | $12,116 | $102,772 | 93.2% | $490,584 |
| University of Pennsylvania | #10 | $28,699 | $111,371 | 96.7% | $516,199 |
| Harvard University | #11 | $19,066 | $101,817 | 97.5% | $460,906 |
Paying for Bentley University
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is Bentley University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Bentley University ranks #9 of 918 (top 2%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 4.2x the money invested over a decade.
Is Bentley University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $37,930 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 7% of them.
Do Bentley University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $120,959 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 99% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Bentley University compared to other colleges?
Its 45.1% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 87% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.