Bluffton University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Bluffton, Ohio. It enrolls 582 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
58/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes26
Value42
Affordability64
Selectivity36
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Bluffton University admits 67.2% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.
Acceptance Rate
67.2%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
860 – 1130
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
16 – 22
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Bluffton University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
6.2 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $19,943 a year on average, it sits below what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$37,362
Room & Board (on-campus)
$12,220
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,202
Books & Supplies
$1,600
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,750
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,895
Total Cost of Attendance
$51,862
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$16,363
$30,001 – $48,000
$16,689
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,469
$75,001 – $110,000
$21,233
Over $110,000
$26,321
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,70510%percentile
$5,68725%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$28,70075%percentile
$37,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,000
↓ $8,000
No Pell $19,750
↓ $7,250
Dependent students $19,000
↓ $8,000
Independent students $24,750
↓ $2,250
Female students $23,000
↓ $4,000
Male students $14,707
↓ $12,293
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,274, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
49% of students who start here finish within six years, and 63% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
49%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
63%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $49,547 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$49,547
Earning > $25K
81%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$33,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$50,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$36,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$43,100
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $17,300, about 34% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
18.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 91% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 582 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 33% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
582
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
33%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 62.5%364
Black 18.9%110
Hispanic 3.4%20
Other 3.4%20
International 1.2%7
Asian 1.0%6
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bluffton University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Bluffton University offers
a varied set of programs:
29 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$58M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$36,864
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
44 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
15
34%
$45,873
Associate Professors
7
16%
$41,902
Assistant Professors
22
50%
$29,119
Pros & Cons of Bluffton University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Bluffton University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, Bluffton University is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bluffton University
The questions families ask most about Bluffton University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Bluffton University hard to get into?
Admissions at Bluffton University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 67.2%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Bluffton University?
67.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Bluffton University?
Aim for 1130 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 860 and 1130 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Bluffton University?
Aim for 22 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 16 and 22 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Bluffton University cost?
Budget around $19,943 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bluffton University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $49,547 a year against a net price of $19,943, about 2.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bluffton University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Kinesiology, Teacher Education (K-12). Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Bluffton University graduates earn?
About $49,547 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bluffton University accredited?
Yes. Bluffton University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Bluffton University?
582 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Bluffton University?
49% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Bluffton University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Bluffton University located?
Bluffton University is located in Bluffton, Ohio.
What programs does Bluffton University offer?
29 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Kinesiology, Teacher Education (K-12). If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bluffton University?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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