Birmingham Southern College vs. IWU

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

Birmingham Southern College IWU
Location Birmingham, AL Bloomington, IL
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 975 1,527
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu iwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College IWU
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $53,610
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $53,610
Room & Board $14,000 $12,418
Avg Net Price $21,153 $30,096
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $36,614
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 4,408
Admitted 1,726 1,861
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 42.2%
Enrolled % 14.1% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/29 25/30
SAT Range 1150/1280 1120/1330
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 IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College IWU
Graduation Rate 62% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $60,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College IWU
% Men 53% 51%
% Women 47% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 71%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 9%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Birmingham Southern College IWU
% In-State 55% 77%
% Out-of-State 44% 14%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College IWU
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

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. IWU Cost Comparison

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

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 168% more expensive to attend than Birmingham Southern College for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 168% higher at IWU than Birmingham Southern College ($53,610.00 vs. $20,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Birmingham Southern College than IWU ($21,153 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 12.7% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($12,418 vs. $14,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College as Illinois Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 158.5% larger than aid received Birmingham Southern College ($36,614 vs. $14,163)

Birmingham Southern College vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 82 points higher than at Birmingham Southern College (1167)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Birmingham Southern College (26)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Birmingham Southern College (3.72)
  • Birmingham Southern College has a higher acceptance rate (57.2%) than IWU (42.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Birmingham Southern College (82% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Birmingham Southern College graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $51,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($26,850 vs. $27,000)
  • Birmingham Southern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Birmingham Southern College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

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