Birmingham Southern College vs. CBU

Should I go to Birmingham Southern College or Christian Brothers University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Birmingham Southern College or CBU 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. Christian Brothers University comparison
Birmingham Southern College Christian Brothers University College 3 College 4
Birmingham Southern College
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Overview

Birmingham Southern College CBU
Location Birmingham, AL Memphis, TN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 975 1,934
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #606
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu cbu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College CBU
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $35,520
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $35,520
Room & Board $14,000 $10,220
Avg Net Price $21,153 $18,612
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $26,964
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College CBU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 877
Admitted 1,726 767
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 87.5%
Enrolled % 14.1% 22.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 18/25
SAT Range 1150/1280 1030/1280
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

Academics

Birmingham Southern College CBU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College CBU
Graduation Rate 62% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College CBU
% Men 53% 50%
% Women 47% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 43%
% Black 11% 29%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 6%

Students

Birmingham Southern College CBU
% In-State 55% 69%
% Out-of-State 44% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Christian Brothers University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,934 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. CBU Cost Comparison

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

  • Christian Brothers University is 77.6% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($35,520.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.6% higher at CBU than Birmingham Southern College ($35,520.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Christian Brothers University than Birmingham Southern College ($18,612 vs. $21,153)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christian Brothers University are 37% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($10,220 vs. $14,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Christian Brothers University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Christian Brothers University students is 90.4% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($26,964 vs. $14,163)

Birmingham Southern College vs. CBU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 62 points higher than at CBU (1105)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at CBU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at CBU (3.67)
  • CBU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. CBU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or CBU? 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 CBU and Birmingham Southern College.

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than Christian Brothers University (62% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $400 more per year than CBU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $50,600)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than CBU graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than CBU graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CBU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 53%)

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