Birmingham Southern College vs. Alma College

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

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
Location Birmingham, AL Alma, MI
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 975 1,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu alma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $45,346
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $45,346
Room & Board $14,000 $12,624
Avg Net Price $21,153 $23,995
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $34,736
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 3,372
Admitted 1,726 2,180
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 64.7%
Enrolled % 14.1% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/29
SAT Range 1150/1280
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
Graduation Rate 62% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
% Men 53% 47%
% Women 47% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 83%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
% In-State 55% 90%
% Out-of-State 44% 6%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College Alma College
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

  • Alma College is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,260 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Alma College Cost Comparison

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

  • Alma College is 126.7% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.7% higher at Alma College than Birmingham Southern College ($45,346.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than Alma College ($21,153 vs. $23,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Alma College are 10.9% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($12,624 vs. $14,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Alma College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 145.3% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($34,736 vs. $14,163)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Alma College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 57 points higher than at Alma College (1110)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Alma College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Alma College (3.5)
  • Alma College has a higher acceptance rate (64.7%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. Alma College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Alma College is higher than Birmingham Southern College (67% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $2,700 more per year than Alma College graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $48,300)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Alma College graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Alma College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 75%)

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