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Georgia Georgia State Emory KSU Berry College Samford University Georgia Tech GS Georgia College Auburn Ogelthorpe Elon| Birmingham Southern College | Mercer University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
| Location | Birmingham, AL | Macon, GA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 975 | 8,889 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #236 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bsc.edu | mercer.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $20,000 | $39,408 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,000 | $39,408 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,000 | $14,046 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,153 | $22,087 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $14,163 | $33,740 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,019 | 7,556 | ||
| Admitted | 1,726 | 5,643 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 57.2% | 74.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.1% | 15.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.72 | 3.98 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1150/1280 | 1190/1360 | ||
| 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 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
| Graduation Rate | 62% | 60% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,000 | $57,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 75% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,850 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $258 |
Diversity |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 48% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 31% | ||
| % Hispanic | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 5% |
Students |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 55% | 86% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 44% | 13% | ||
Campus |
Birmingham Southern College | Mercer | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Mercer University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 975 students)
Birmingham Southern College vs. Mercer Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Birmingham Southern College or Mercer?
- Mercer University is 97% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($39,408.00 vs. $20,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 97% higher at Mercer than Birmingham Southern College ($39,408.00 vs. $20,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Mercer ($21,153 vs. $22,087)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Birmingham Southern College are 0.3% lower than costs at Mercer University ($14,000 vs. $14,046)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Mercer University (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer University students is 138.2% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($33,740 vs. $14,163)
Birmingham Southern College vs. Mercer Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Birmingham Southern College or Mercer? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mercer or Birmingham Southern College .
- The average SAT score at Mercer University (1217) is 50 points higher than at Birmingham Southern College (1167)
- Incoming Mercer students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Birmingham Southern College (26)
- Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Birmingham Southern College (3.72)
- Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)
Birmingham Southern College vs. Mercer Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or Mercer? 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 Mercer and Birmingham Southern College.
- The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than Mercer University (62% vs. 60%)
- Graduates from Mercer University earn on average $6,300 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($57,300 vs. $51,000)
- Mercer University students graduate with a $1,850 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,850)
- Mercer graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 45%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/