Birmingham Southern College vs. University of West Alabama

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

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
Location Birmingham, AL Livingston, AL
Setting Midsize City Remote Rural
Enrollment 975 5,860
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1007
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsc.edu uwa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
Tuition (In State) $20,000 $9,100
Tuition (Out of State) $20,000 $18,200
Room & Board $14,000 $7,820
Avg Net Price $21,153 $13,786
Avg Grant Aid $14,163 $9,291
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 89%

Admission

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,019 3,131
Admitted 1,726 2,156
Acceptance Rate 57.2% 68.9%
Enrolled % 14.1% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.16
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/29 17/21
SAT Range 1150/1280 880/980
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 10, 2024

Academics

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Education (27%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Business (14%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
Graduation Rate 62% 28%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $38,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,850 $26,489
Median Loan Payment $277 $273

Diversity

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
% Men 53% 25%
% Women 47% 75%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 45%
% Black 11% 40%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
% In-State 55% 81%
% Out-of-State 44% 13%

Campus

Birmingham Southern College University of West Alabama
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

  • University of West Alabama is larger than than Birmingham Southern College based on total student enrollment (5,860 students vs. 975 students)

Birmingham Southern College vs. University of West Alabama Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Birmingham Southern College or University of West Alabama?

  • Birmingham Southern College is 119.8% more expensive to attend than University of West Alabama for in-state tuition ($20,000.00 vs. $9,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.9% higher at Birmingham Southern College than University of West Alabama ($20,000.00 vs. $18,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of West Alabama than Birmingham Southern College ($13,786 vs. $21,153)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of West Alabama are 79% lower than costs at Birmingham Southern College ($7,820 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Birmingham Southern College than University of West Alabama (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Birmingham Southern College students is 52.4% larger than aid received University of West Alabama ($14,163 vs. $9,291)

Birmingham Southern College vs. University of West Alabama Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Birmingham Southern College (1167) is 237 points higher than at University of West Alabama (930)
  • Incoming Birmingham Southern College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at University of West Alabama (20)
  • Accepted freshman Birmingham Southern College students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at University of West Alabama (3.16)
  • University of West Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (68.9%) than Birmingham Southern College (57.2%)

Birmingham Southern College vs. University of West Alabama Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Birmingham Southern College or University of West Alabama? 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 University of West Alabama and Birmingham Southern College.

  • The graduation rate at Birmingham Southern College is higher than University of West Alabama (62% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Birmingham Southern College earn on average $12,500 more per year than University of West Alabama graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $38,500)
  • University of West Alabama students graduate with a $361 lower median federal student loan debt than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($26,489 vs. $26,850)
  • University of West Alabama graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Birmingham Southern College graduates. ($273 vs. $277)
  • More Birmingham Southern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of West Alabama students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 36%)

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