Birmingham Southern College vs. SPU

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

Birmingham Southern College SPU
Location Birmingham, AL Seattle, WA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 731 2,659
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #246
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College SPU
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $37,965
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $37,965
Room & Board $14,300 $15,498
Avg Net Price $24,170 $26,155
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $28,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 2,806
Admitted 2,071 2,556
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 91.1%
Enrolled % 7.1% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 20/28
SAT Range 1150/1340 1050/1320
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 11, 2026

Academics

Birmingham Southern College SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College SPU
Graduation Rate 62% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $277 $264

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College SPU
% Men 2% 6%
% Women 0% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 61%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 8%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Birmingham Southern College SPU
% In-State 61% 71%
% Out-of-State 38% 26%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College SPU
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

  • Seattle Pacific University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (2,659 students vs. 731 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. SPU Cost Comparison

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

  • Seattle Pacific University is 76.6% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($37,965.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.6% higher at SPU than Birmingham Southern College ($37,965.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than SPU ($24,170 vs. $26,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Birmingham Southern College are 8.4% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($14,300 vs. $15,498)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 97.4% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($28,070 vs. $14,223)

Birmingham Southern College vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 22 points higher than at SPU (1145)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at SPU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at SPU (3.53)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Birmingham Southern College (51.9%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SPU is higher than Birmingham Southern College (74% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $600 more per year than SPU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $50,400)
  • Seattle Pacific University students graduate with a $1,247 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($25,603 vs. $26,850)
  • SPU graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($264 vs. $277)
  • More SPU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 75%)

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