Birmingham Southern College vs. Furman

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

Birmingham Southern College Furman
Location Birmingham, AL Greenville, SC
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 975 2,443
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #102
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu furman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Furman
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $55,392
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $55,392
Room & Board $14,000 $15,148
Avg Net Price $21,153 $33,370
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $36,384
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Furman
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 7,514
Admitted 1,726 5,036
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 67%
Enrolled % 14.1% 12.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/29 27/32
SAT Range 1150/1280 1260/1455
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Furman
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Furman
Graduation Rate 62% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $25,443
Median Loan Payment $277 $263

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Furman
% Men 53% 40%
% Women 47% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 78%
% Black 11% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Furman
% In-State 55% 37%
% Out-of-State 44% 60%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Furman
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

  • Furman University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (2,443 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Furman Cost Comparison

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

  • Furman University is 177% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($55,392.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 177% higher at Furman than Birmingham Southern College ($55,392.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Furman ($21,153 vs. $33,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Birmingham Southern College are 8.2% lower than costs at Furman University ($14,000 vs. $15,148)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Furman University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Furman University students is 156.9% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($36,384 vs. $14,163)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Furman Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Furman (3.61)
  • Furman has a higher acceptance rate (67%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Furman Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Furman is higher than Birmingham Southern College (87% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Furman University earn on average $3,300 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $51,000)
  • Furman University students graduate with a $1,407 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($25,443 vs. $26,850)
  • Furman graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($263 vs. $277)
  • More Furman graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 75%)

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