Birmingham Southern College vs. Mississippi State

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

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
Location Birmingham, AL Mississippi State, MS
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 975 22,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #523
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $25,294
Room & Board $14,000 $10,964
Avg Net Price $21,153 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 18,830
Admitted 1,726 14,158
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 75.2%
Enrolled % 14.1% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 21/29
SAT Range 1150/1280 1070/1280
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 62% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $277 $240

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
% Men 53% 49%
% Women 47% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 11% 20%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
% In-State 55% 59%
% Out-of-State 44% 40%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Mississippi State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mississippi State University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (22,649 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Birmingham Southern College or Mississippi State?

  • Birmingham Southern College is 116.3% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($20,000.00 vs. $9,248.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.5% higher at Mississippi State than Birmingham Southern College ($25,294.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi State University than Birmingham Southern College ($15,364 vs. $21,153)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 27.7% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($10,964 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Mississippi State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 0.6% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($14,252 vs. $14,163)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 27 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (75.2%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or Mississippi State? 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 Mississippi State and Birmingham Southern College.

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than Mississippi State University (62% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $3,500 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,500)
  • Mississippi State University students graduate with a $3,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,850)
  • Mississippi State graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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