Birmingham Southern College vs. Roanoke College

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

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke College
Location Birmingham, AL Salem, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 731 1,835
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #361
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu roanoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke College
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $34,820
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $34,820
Room & Board $14,300 $15,366
Avg Net Price $24,170 $27,695
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $26,341
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 6,829
Admitted 2,071 5,468
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 80.1%
Enrolled % 7.1% 9.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 22/30
SAT Range 1150/1340 1090/1270
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

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke 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%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke College
Graduation Rate 62% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $51,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke College
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 0% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 82%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke College
% In-State 61% 58%
% Out-of-State 38% 40%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Roanoke 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

  • Roanoke College is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,835 students vs. 731 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Roanoke College Cost Comparison

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

  • Roanoke College is 62% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($34,820.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62% higher at Roanoke College than Birmingham Southern College ($34,820.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Roanoke College ($24,170 vs. $27,695)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Birmingham Southern College are 7.5% lower than costs at Roanoke College ($14,300 vs. $15,366)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Roanoke College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roanoke College students is 85.2% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($26,341 vs. $14,223)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Roanoke College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 75 points higher than at Roanoke College (1092)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Roanoke College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Roanoke College (3.56)
  • Roanoke College has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than Birmingham Southern College (51.9%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Roanoke College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or Roanoke 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 Roanoke College and Birmingham Southern College.

  • The graduation rate at Roanoke College is higher than Birmingham Southern College (69% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Roanoke College earn on average $200 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $51,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Roanoke College graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Roanoke College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Roanoke College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 75%)

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