Birmingham Southern College vs. Gordon College

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

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
Location Birmingham, AL Wenham, MA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 731 1,610
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #343
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu gordon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $27,000
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $27,000
Room & Board $14,300 $12,650
Avg Net Price $24,170 $25,250
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $15,740
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 2,579
Admitted 2,071 1,516
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 58.8%
Enrolled % 7.1% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/27 26/32
SAT Range 1150/1340 1168/1370
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • English and Literature (9%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
Graduation Rate 62% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
% Men 2% 5%
% Women 0% 15%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
% In-State 61% 35%
% Out-of-State 38% 58%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Gordon College
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

  • Gordon College is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,610 students vs. 731 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Gordon College Cost Comparison

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

  • Gordon College is 25.6% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($27,000.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.6% higher at Gordon College than Birmingham Southern College ($27,000.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Gordon College ($24,170 vs. $25,250)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gordon College are 13% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($12,650 vs. $14,300)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Gordon College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gordon College students is 10.7% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($15,740 vs. $14,223)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Gordon College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 55 points higher than at Gordon College (1112)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at Gordon College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Gordon College (3.58)
  • Gordon College has a higher acceptance rate (58.8%) than Birmingham Southern College (51.9%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Gordon College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or Gordon 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 Gordon College and Birmingham Southern College.

  • The graduation rate at Gordon College is higher than Birmingham Southern College (74% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $5,700 more per year than Gordon College graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $45,300)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Gordon College graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Gordon College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Gordon College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 75%)

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