Birmingham Southern College vs. LSU

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

Birmingham Southern College LSU
Location Birmingham, AL Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 975 37,348
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #367
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College LSU
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $8,038
Room & Board $14,000 $13,956
Avg Net Price $21,153 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 38,853
Admitted 1,726 29,419
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 75.7%
Enrolled % 14.1% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.77
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 23/28
SAT Range 1150/1280 1140/1320
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Birmingham Southern College LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College LSU
Graduation Rate 62% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $277 $216

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College LSU
% Men 53% 44%
% Women 47% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 73%
% Black 11% 12%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Birmingham Southern College LSU
% In-State 55% 65%
% Out-of-State 44% 34%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College LSU
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

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. LSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Birmingham Southern College is 148.8% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($20,000.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 148.8% higher at Birmingham Southern College than Louisiana State University ($20,000.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than LSU ($21,153 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University are 0.3% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($13,956 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Louisiana State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Birmingham Southern College students is 14.5% larger than aid received Louisiana State University ($14,163 vs. $12,374)

Birmingham Southern College vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 4 points higher than at LSU (1163)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at LSU (26)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Birmingham Southern College (3.72)
  • LSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than Louisiana State University (62% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $5,900 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,000)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $5,950 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($20,900 vs. $26,850)
  • LSU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 67%)

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