Birmingham Southern College vs. Mercer

Should I go to Birmingham Southern College or Mercer University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Birmingham Southern College or Mercer 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. Mercer University comparison
Birmingham Southern College Mercer University College 3 College 4
Birmingham Southern College Mercer University
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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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

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/