Birmingham Southern College vs. Ogelthorpe

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

Birmingham Southern College Ogelthorpe
Location Birmingham, AL Atlanta, GA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 975 1,491
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #697
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu oglethorpe.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Ogelthorpe
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $43,710
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $43,710
Room & Board $14,000 $14,400
Avg Net Price $21,153 $20,094
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $36,867
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Ogelthorpe
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 2,816
Admitted 1,726 1,999
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 71%
Enrolled % 14.1% 21.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.73
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/29 22/29
SAT Range 1150/1280 1065/1305
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 Ogelthorpe
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 (25%)
  • English and Literature (21%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Ogelthorpe
Graduation Rate 62% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Ogelthorpe
% Men 53% 37%
% Women 47% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 34%
% Black 11% 18%
% Hispanic 2% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 26%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Ogelthorpe
% In-State 55% 82%
% Out-of-State 44% 16%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Ogelthorpe
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

  • Oglethorpe University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,491 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Ogelthorpe Cost Comparison

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

  • Oglethorpe University is 118.6% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($43,710.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.6% higher at Ogelthorpe than Birmingham Southern College ($43,710.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oglethorpe University than Birmingham Southern College ($20,094 vs. $21,153)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Birmingham Southern College are 2.9% lower than costs at Oglethorpe University ($14,000 vs. $14,400)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Oglethorpe University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oglethorpe University students is 160.3% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($36,867 vs. $14,163)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Ogelthorpe Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 27 points higher than at Ogelthorpe (1140)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Ogelthorpe (25)
  • Accepted freshman Ogelthorpe students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Birmingham Southern College (3.72)
  • Ogelthorpe has a higher acceptance rate (71%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Ogelthorpe Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than Oglethorpe University (62% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $1,200 more per year than Ogelthorpe graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $49,800)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Ogelthorpe graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Ogelthorpe graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ogelthorpe students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 53%)

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