Birmingham Southern College vs. Spelman

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

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
Location Birmingham, AL Atlanta, GA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 975 3,102
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #392
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu spelman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $25,880
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $25,880
Room & Board $14,000 $15,666
Avg Net Price $21,153 $37,085
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $10,629
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 13,649
Admitted 1,726 3,875
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 28.4%
Enrolled % 14.1% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 22/29 20/25
SAT Range 1150/1280 1050/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Psychology (20%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
Graduation Rate 62% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $51,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
% Men 53% 5%
% Women 47% 95%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 79% 0%
% Black 11% 96%
% Hispanic 2% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
% In-State 55% 23%
% Out-of-State 44% 77%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Spelman
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

  • Spelman College is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (3,102 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Spelman Cost Comparison

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

  • Spelman College is 29.4% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($25,880.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.4% higher at Spelman than Birmingham Southern College ($25,880.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Spelman ($21,153 vs. $37,085)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Birmingham Southern College are 11.9% lower than costs at Spelman College ($14,000 vs. $15,666)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than Spelman College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Birmingham Southern College students is 33.2% larger than aid received Spelman College ($14,163 vs. $10,629)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Spelman Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 152 points higher than at Spelman (1015)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Spelman (22)
  • Accepted freshman Spelman students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Birmingham Southern College (3.72)
  • Birmingham Southern College has a higher acceptance rate (57.2%) than Spelman (28.4%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Spelman Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Spelman is higher than Birmingham Southern College (77% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Spelman College earn on average $300 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($51,300 vs. $51,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Spelman graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Spelman graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Spelman students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 47%)

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