Birmingham Southern College vs. Rhodes College

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

Birmingham Southern College Rhodes College
Location Birmingham, AL Memphis, TN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 731 1,952
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #136
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu rhodes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Rhodes College
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $54,082
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $54,082
Room & Board $14,300 $12,910
Avg Net Price $24,170 $30,590
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $37,543
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Rhodes College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 6,025
Admitted 2,071 2,993
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 49.7%
Enrolled % 7.1% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/27 28/33
SAT Range 1150/1340 1290/1490
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Rhodes College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Rhodes College
Graduation Rate 62% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $59,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $26,217
Median Loan Payment $277 $271

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Rhodes College
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 0% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 74%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Rhodes College
% In-State 61% 36%
% Out-of-State 38% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rhodes College is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,952 students vs. 731 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Rhodes College Cost Comparison

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

  • Rhodes College is 151.5% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($54,082.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 151.5% higher at Rhodes College than Birmingham Southern College ($54,082.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Rhodes College ($24,170 vs. $30,590)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhodes College are 10.8% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($12,910 vs. $14,300)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Rhodes College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhodes College students is 164% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($37,543 vs. $14,223)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Rhodes College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhodes College (1306) is 139 points higher than at Birmingham Southern College (1167)
  • Incoming Rhodes College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Birmingham Southern College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Rhodes College students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Birmingham Southern College (3.72)
  • Birmingham Southern College has a higher acceptance rate (51.9%) than Rhodes College (49.7%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Rhodes College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Rhodes College is higher than Birmingham Southern College (75% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Rhodes College earn on average $8,400 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($59,400 vs. $51,000)
  • Rhodes College students graduate with a $633 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($26,217 vs. $26,850)
  • Rhodes College graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Rhodes College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 75%)

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