Birmingham Southern College vs. Florida State

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

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
Location Birmingham, AL Tallahassee, FL
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 731 43,234
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #199
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $16,540
Room & Board $14,300 $12,740
Avg Net Price $24,170 $14,903
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $8,731
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 74,038
Admitted 2,071 18,793
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 25.4%
Enrolled % 7.1% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 21/27 27/31
SAT Range 1150/1340 1240/1390
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2026

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
Graduation Rate 62% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $277 $214

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
% Men 2% 10%
% Women 0% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 64%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 2% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
% In-State 61% 83%
% Out-of-State 38% 16%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Florida State
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

  • Florida State University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (43,234 students vs. 731 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Birmingham Southern College or Florida State?

  • Birmingham Southern College is 434.6% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($21,500.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30% higher at Birmingham Southern College than Florida State University ($21,500.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than Birmingham Southern College ($14,903 vs. $24,170)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 12.2% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($12,740 vs. $14,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Florida State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Birmingham Southern College students is 62.9% larger than aid received Florida State University ($14,223 vs. $8,731)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 48 points higher than at Birmingham Southern College (1167)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Birmingham Southern College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • Birmingham Southern College has a higher acceptance rate (51.9%) than Florida State (25.4%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or Florida State? 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 Florida State and Birmingham Southern College.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than Birmingham Southern College (74% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $400 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $51,000)
  • Florida State University students graduate with a $6,100 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($20,750 vs. $26,850)
  • Florida State graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($214 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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