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Bentley University

Waltham, MA

private nonprofitgraduate

Quick Facts

4,288
Total Students
$58K
Tuition (In-State)
$58K
Tuition (Out-State)
$39K
Avg Net Price
48%
Acceptance Rate
88%
Graduation Rate
6-year
93%
Retention Rate
Master's Colleges & Universities
Classification

Data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) & U.S. Dept. of Education

About Bentley University

Bentley University: A century of evolving business education.

Bentley University, founded in 1917 by Harry C. Bentley as the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance, has a rich history of adapting to and shaping the landscape of business education. What began with thirty students in a rented room in Boston has transformed into a leading institution, renowned for its pragmatic approach to business and finance.

Over the decades, Bentley demonstrated remarkable resilience and foresight. Notably, it permanently embraced coeducation in 1942, welcoming women during a critical time and cementing its inclusive environment. The institution continually expanded its academic offerings and physical footprint, moving to its sprawling Waltham campus and earning accreditations for Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, graduate, and ultimately, doctoral degrees in business and accountancy.

Today, Bentley stands as a comprehensive university with a global outlook, exemplified by its campus in Bahrain. It's a place where aspiring leaders and innovators come to develop the skills and knowledge needed to excel in a dynamic global economy, building on a legacy of academic excellence and continuous evolution from a focused accounting school to a full-fledged business university.

Key Highlights

  • Founded in 1917 by Harry C. Bentley as the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance.
  • Permanently became coeducational in 1942, admitting over 1,000 women during World War II.
  • Accredited to confer doctoral degrees in business and accountancy by 2005.
  • Transformed from a school to Bentley College (1970) and then Bentley University (2008).
  • Established an international campus in Bahrain in partnership with the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance in 2002.
  • Appointed Gloria Cordes Larson as its first female president in 2007.

Timeline

1917
Founded as the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance by Harry C. Bentley.
1942
Permanently became coeducational, admitting women during World War II.
1948
Incorporated as a non-profit organization.
1961
Accredited to confer four-year Bachelor of Science degrees; moved to its current Waltham campus.
1970
Renamed Bentley College and accredited to confer four-year Bachelor of Arts degrees.
1973
Accredited to confer graduate degrees.
2005
Accredited to confer its first doctoral degrees in business and accountancy.
2008
Renamed Bentley University.
2021
E. LaBrent Chrite appointed as Bentley's ninth president.

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