Birmingham Southern College vs. SU

Should I go to Birmingham Southern College or Southwestern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Birmingham Southern College or SU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Birmingham Southern College vs. Southwestern University comparison
Birmingham Southern College Southwestern University College 3 College 4
Birmingham Southern College Southwestern University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Birmingham Southern College SU
Location Birmingham, AL Georgetown, TX
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 731 1,457
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #189
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College SU
Tuition (In State) $21,500 $50,558
Tuition (Out of State) $21,500 $50,558
Room & Board $14,300 $13,628
Avg Net Price $24,170 $30,687
Avg Grant Aid $14,223 $32,956
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,987 6,585
Admitted 2,071 2,573
Acceptance Rate 51.9% 39.1%
Enrolled % 7.1% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 21/27 24/30
SAT Range 1150/1340 1170/1340
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Birmingham Southern College SU
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 (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College SU
Graduation Rate 62% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $277 $278

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College SU
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 0% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 62%
% Black 11% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 22%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Birmingham Southern College SU
% In-State 61% 89%
% Out-of-State 38% 9%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College SU
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

  • Southwestern University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,457 students vs. 731 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. SU Cost Comparison

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

  • Southwestern University is 135.2% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($50,558.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.2% higher at SU than Birmingham Southern College ($50,558.00 vs. $21,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than SU ($24,170 vs. $30,687)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern University are 4.9% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($13,628 vs. $14,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Southwestern University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern University students is 131.7% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($32,956 vs. $14,223)

Birmingham Southern College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southwestern University (1168) is 1 points higher than at Birmingham Southern College (1167)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at SU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at SU (3.5)
  • Birmingham Southern College has a higher acceptance rate (51.9%) than SU (39.1%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than Birmingham Southern College (73% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Southwestern University earn on average $6,400 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $51,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $43 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($26,850 vs. $26,893)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($277 vs. $278)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 75%)

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