Birmingham Southern College vs. ETSU

Should I go to Birmingham Southern College or East Tennessee State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Birmingham Southern College or ETSU 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. East Tennessee State University comparison
Birmingham Southern College East Tennessee State University College 3 College 4
Birmingham Southern College East Tennessee State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Birmingham Southern College ETSU
Location Birmingham, AL Johnson City, TN
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 975 13,483
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #652
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College ETSU
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $11,532
Room & Board $14,000 $9,613
Avg Net Price $21,153 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 9,609
Admitted 1,726 8,193
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 85.3%
Enrolled % 14.1% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 19/26
SAT Range 1150/1280 980/1190
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

Academics

Birmingham Southern College ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College ETSU
Graduation Rate 62% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $211

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College ETSU
% Men 53% 37%
% Women 47% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 82%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Birmingham Southern College ETSU
% In-State 55% 75%
% Out-of-State 44% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Birmingham Southern College is 159% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($20,000.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.4% higher at Birmingham Southern College than East Tennessee State University ($20,000.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Tennessee State University than Birmingham Southern College ($14,350 vs. $21,153)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 45.6% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($9,613 vs. $14,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as East Tennessee State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Birmingham Southern College students is 62.1% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($14,163 vs. $8,739)

Birmingham Southern College vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 99 points higher than at ETSU (1068)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than East Tennessee State University (62% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $11,000 more per year than ETSU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $40,000)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $6,350 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,850)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 50%)

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