Abeka Science vs BJU Press Science
The sharpest difference is prep load: Abeka Science is minimal, BJU Press Science is involved. Four more separate them, so this is not a close pairing.
At a glance
Abeka Science
Grades K-12
BJU Press Science
Grades K-12
Both are reported to suit Independent workers.
Skip to who fitsWhere they differ
| Attribute | Abeka Science | BJU Press Science |
|---|---|---|
Rigor
?How demanding the material is versus grade level. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Parent involvement
?How much the parent is present and teaching. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Prep load
?How much the parent prepares before a lesson. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Independence
?How much the child can do alone. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Time commitment
?How long a daily lesson takes the child. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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| Grades | K-12 | K-12 |
Where they match
- Screen timeboth fully offline
- Faith contentboth Integrated
- Creation stanceboth Young-earth
- Approachboth Spiral
- Formatboth Textbook
- Used asboth Spine
- Best forboth Independent workers
- Methodboth Traditional
How each one plays by grade
Abeka Science
Grades K-12
Elementary follows a science-reader model (Discovering, Enjoying, Exploring, Understanding, Investigating, Observing God's World) that repeats topics each year with more detail. Only in high school does Abeka switch to one subject studied in depth.
BJU Press Science
Grades K-12
Elementary (1-6) is heavily activity-driven and teacher-led. Junior high and high school (Life, Earth, Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics) get more independent, and the video Distance Learning courses shift the teaching load off the parent.
Cost
| Cost item | Abeka Science | BJU Press Science |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$25-110/grade | ~$65-180/subject |
| Consumable | Partial | Partial |
| Per child / year | ~$85-200 (child kit ~$85-90; add the parent kit and lesson plans for the higher end) | ~$160-260 (subject kit plus lab and supply kit), more with the video course |
What parents report
Abeka Science
Consistently praised
- Beautiful full-color photographs
- Doubles as a graded reader kids pick up on their own
- Budget-friendly as a single text
- Quick and painless to fit in
- Consistent Christian and creationist framing
Reported as challenges
- Broad but shallow, light on real depth
- Short texts fly by for strong readers
- Activities are very simple
- Preachy repetition that reads like a devotional
BJU Press Science
Consistently praised
- Vibrant full-color pages keep kids engaged
- Strong vocabulary and critical thinking
- Projects and labs they remember
- Well-organized, easy-to-follow teacher editions
- Video course rescues you on upper-level subjects
Reported as challenges
- You have to teach it, not hand it off
- Long supply lists to gather ahead
- Teacher editions can be verbose
- Written for classrooms, so you adapt for one kid
Who Abeka Science fits
An affordable, attractive, openly Christian science reader that checks the box without heavy prep, for kids who like reading science on their own. Families wanting rigorous, experiment-rich science or a standalone subject should keep looking.
Read the full Abeka Science entry Check price AbekaWho BJU Press Science fits
Rigorous, structured, openly Christian textbook science, with a parent ready to teach or willing to use the video option. Secular families and those wanting an open-and-go or student-directed program should skip it.
Read the full BJU Press Science entry Check price BJU PressSome links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes how a curriculum is described or scored.
Still deciding?
Abeka Science compared with
BJU Press Science compared with
Descriptions aggregate what homeschool parents consistently report across public community sources together with each publisher's own materials. Prices and editions change over time. Both entries last reviewed July 2026.