University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. LSU

Should I go to University of Alabama at Birmingham or Louisiana State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Alabama at Birmingham or LSU 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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University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. Louisiana State University comparison
University of Alabama at Birmingham Louisiana State University College 3 College 4
University of Alabama at Birmingham Louisiana State University
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Overview

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
Location Birmingham, AL Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 21,639 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #427 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uab.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
Tuition (In State) $8,832 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $21,216 $8,038
Room & Board $13,120 $13,956
Avg Net Price $16,834 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $11,142 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 98%

Admission

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,947 38,853
Admitted 8,622 29,419
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 75.7%
Enrolled % 25.7% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.77
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 23/28
SAT Range 1200/1410 1140/1320
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 Jun 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
Graduation Rate 45% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $222 $216

Diversity

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
% Men 37% 44%
% Women 63% 56%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 73%
% Black 25% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
% In-State 82% 65%
% Out-of-State 16% 34%

Campus

University of Alabama at Birmingham LSU
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

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than University of Alabama at Birmingham based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 21,639 students)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Alabama at Birmingham or LSU?

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham is 9.9% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($8,832.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 163.9% higher at University of Alabama at Birmingham than Louisiana State University ($21,216.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Alabama at Birmingham than LSU ($16,834 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Alabama at Birmingham are 6.4% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($13,120 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than University of Alabama at Birmingham (98% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 11.1% larger than aid received University of Alabama at Birmingham ($12,374 vs. $11,142)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 16 points higher than at University of Alabama at Birmingham (1147)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at University of Alabama at Birmingham (25)
  • Accepted freshman University of Alabama at Birmingham students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at LSU (3.77)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than LSU (75.7%)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Alabama at Birmingham or LSU? 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 LSU and University of Alabama at Birmingham.

  • The graduation rate at LSU is higher than University of Alabama at Birmingham (60% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $10,500 more per year than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $46,400)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $600 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates. ($20,900 vs. $21,500)
  • LSU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates. ($216 vs. $222)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Alabama at Birmingham students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 52%)

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