Birmingham Southern College vs. WCU

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

Birmingham Southern College WCU
Location Birmingham, AL Cullowhee, NC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 975 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College WCU
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $5,000
Room & Board $14,000 $11,173
Avg Net Price $21,153 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 17,917
Admitted 1,726 15,201
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 84.8%
Enrolled % 14.1% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.44
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 19/26
SAT Range 1150/1280 1020/1240
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

Birmingham Southern College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College WCU
Graduation Rate 62% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $277 $227

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College WCU
% Men 53% 41%
% Women 47% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 79%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Birmingham Southern College WCU
% In-State 55% 80%
% Out-of-State 44% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

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

  • Birmingham Southern College is 1,900% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($20,000.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 300% higher at Birmingham Southern College than Western Carolina University ($20,000.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Birmingham Southern College ($13,022 vs. $21,153)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 25.3% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($11,173 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Birmingham Southern College students is 212.9% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($14,163 vs. $4,526)

Birmingham Southern College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 135 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than Western Carolina University (62% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $11,900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,840 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($22,010 vs. $26,850)
  • WCU graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($227 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 58%)

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