Birmingham Southern College vs. Earlham

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

Birmingham Southern College Earlham
Location Birmingham, AL Richmond, IN
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 731 696
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Friends - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu earlham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Earlham
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $50,970
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $50,970
Room & Board $14,300 $13,193
Avg Net Price $24,170 $26,517
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $38,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Earlham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 1,765
Admitted 2,071 1,310
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 74.2%
Enrolled % 7.1% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/27 23/30
SAT Range 1150/1340 1178/1363
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 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Earlham
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • General Studies (18%)
  • Biology (17%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Earlham
Graduation Rate 62% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $268

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Earlham
% Men 2% 3%
% Women 0% 5%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 51%
% Black 11% 12%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 0%
% International 0% 22%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Earlham
% In-State 61% 33%
% Out-of-State 38% 56%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Birmingham Southern College is larger than than Earlham based on total student enrollment (731 students vs. 696 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Earlham Cost Comparison

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

  • Earlham College is 137.1% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($50,970.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 137.1% higher at Earlham than Birmingham Southern College ($50,970.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Earlham ($24,170 vs. $26,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Earlham College are 8.4% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($13,193 vs. $14,300)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Earlham College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Earlham College students is 168% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($38,111 vs. $14,223)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Earlham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Earlham (3.67)
  • Earlham has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Birmingham Southern College (51.9%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Earlham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Earlham is higher than Birmingham Southern College (66% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $11,900 more per year than Earlham graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $39,100)
  • Earlham College students graduate with a $850 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,850)
  • Earlham graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More Earlham graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 75%)

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