Benedictine College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas, rooted in the traditions of St. Benedict's College (founded 1858) and Mount St. Scholastica College (founded 1923), which merged in 1971. Sponsored by St. Benedict's Abbey and Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, Benedictine is one of the most dynamic growing Catholic liberal arts institutions in the United States — enrollment has more than doubled over 20 years, making it the largest private college in Kansas. The college is ranked #7 in Regional Colleges Midwest and #2 in Best Undergraduate Teaching nationally (U.S. News 2026 edition), reflecting its strong academic culture rooted in faith, reason, and the liberal arts. Benedictine offers 50+ undergraduate majors including ABET-accredited engineering programs (Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical), a CCNE-accredited Nursing BSN (#1 in Kansas per RegisteredNursing.org), NASM-accredited Music, and ACS-accredited Chemistry, alongside strong Theology, Philosophy, and Business programs. The college awards 35 National Merit Finalist scholarships annually. Important context for international students: international enrollment is very small (~21 students, ~1%); Atchison is a small historic river town (~11,000 population) approximately 45-50 miles from Kansas City; all residential undergraduates fulfill a four-year live-on-campus requirement. Post-graduation earnings ($42,600 at 10 years) are below national average, partly reflecting concentration in theology and education.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
—
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$37750
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $36,350
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
