Birmingham Southern College vs. Elms College

Should I go to Birmingham Southern College or College of Our Lady of the Elms? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Birmingham Southern College or Elms College 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. College of Our Lady of the Elms comparison
Birmingham Southern College College of Our Lady of the Elms College 3 College 4
Birmingham Southern College College of Our Lady of the Elms
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Overview

Birmingham Southern College Elms College
Location Birmingham, AL Chicopee, MA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 975 1,275
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #401
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu elms.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Elms College
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $38,735
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $38,735
Room & Board $14,000 $14,830
Avg Net Price $21,153 $23,498
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $27,109
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Elms College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 1,177
Admitted 1,726 1,070
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 90.9%
Enrolled % 14.1% 13.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29
SAT Range 1150/1280 1070/1300
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 Elms College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Elms College
Graduation Rate 62% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $258

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Elms College
% Men 53% 25%
% Women 47% 75%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 56%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 24%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Elms College
% In-State 55% 72%
% Out-of-State 44% 26%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Elms College
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

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,275 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Elms College Cost Comparison

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

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is 93.7% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($38,735.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 93.7% higher at Elms College than Birmingham Southern College ($38,735.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Elms College ($21,153 vs. $23,498)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Birmingham Southern College are 5.9% lower than costs at College of Our Lady of the Elms ($14,000 vs. $14,830)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than College of Our Lady of the Elms (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Our Lady of the Elms students is 91.4% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($27,109 vs. $14,163)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Elms College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 191 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Elms College (3.42)
  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (90.9%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Elms College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (62% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $4,700 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $46,300)
  • College of Our Lady of the Elms students graduate with a $1,850 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,850)
  • Elms College graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 61%)

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