Birmingham Southern College vs. ASU

Should I go to Birmingham Southern College or Appalachian State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Birmingham Southern College or ASU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Birmingham Southern College vs. Appalachian State University comparison
Birmingham Southern College Appalachian State University College 3 College 4
Birmingham Southern College Appalachian State University
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Overview

Birmingham Southern College ASU
Location Birmingham, AL Boone, NC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 731 21,253
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #597
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu appstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College ASU
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $4,242
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $21,238
Room & Board $14,300 $12,258
Avg Net Price $24,170 $14,712
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $7,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 47%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College ASU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 24,001
Admitted 2,071 21,275
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 88.6%
Enrolled % 7.1% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 21/27
SAT Range 1150/1340 1100/1280
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Birmingham Southern College ASU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College ASU
Graduation Rate 62% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $211

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College ASU
% Men 2% 3%
% Women 0% 6%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 85%
% Black 11% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Birmingham Southern College ASU
% In-State 61% 87%
% Out-of-State 38% 13%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College ASU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Appalachian State University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (21,253 students vs. 731 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Birmingham Southern College or ASU?

  • Birmingham Southern College is 406.8% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($21,500.00 vs. $4,242.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.2% higher at Birmingham Southern College than Appalachian State University ($21,500.00 vs. $21,238.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Appalachian State University than Birmingham Southern College ($14,712 vs. $24,170)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Appalachian State University are 16.7% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($12,258 vs. $14,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Appalachian State University (100% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Birmingham Southern College students is 85.3% larger than aid received Appalachian State University ($14,223 vs. $7,677)

Birmingham Southern College vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Birmingham Southern College or ASU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ASU or Birmingham Southern College .

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 10 points higher than at ASU (1157)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at ASU (26)
  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Birmingham Southern College (3.72)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (88.6%) than Birmingham Southern College (51.9%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or ASU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between ASU and Birmingham Southern College.

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than Birmingham Southern College (65% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $9,400 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $41,600)
  • Appalachian State University students graduate with a $6,350 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,850)
  • ASU graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/