Birmingham-Southern College vs Wheaton College

Birmingham-Southern College and Wheaton College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Birmingham-Southern, nestled in the vibrant city of Birmingham, Alabama, boasts a diverse student body and a strong liberal arts curriculum. In contrast, Wheaton College, located in the charming town of Wheaton, Illinois, is known for its rigorous academic programs and its commitment to Christian values. With acceptance rates of 68% and 38%, respectively, these colleges cater to different applicant pools. While Birmingham-Southern's popular majors include Business, Biology, and Psychology, Wheaton College excels in fields such as Biblical and Theological Studies, Business and Management, and Psychology. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Birmingham-Southern College	Wheaton College
Overview
Location	Birmingham, Alabama	Wheaton, Illinois
Campus setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	78.0%	89.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Methodism	Undenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	65.9%	86.3%
Application fees	$50	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $30
SAT range	1090 - 1240	1250 - 1430
ACT range	22 - 28	27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score	7.0%	32.0%
Students submitting ACT score	54.0%	25.0%
Total number of applicants	2,461	1,993
Total number of admissions given out	1,622	1,719
Admitted students who chose to enroll	244	546
Yield rate	15.0%	31.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$33,790	$54,700
Average net price	$22,888	$28,319
Tuition	$18,850	$40,570
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,900 Meal plan: $5,650	Room/dormitory: $6,640 Meal plan: $4,660
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	97.0% Average amount $10,781	91.0% Average amount $23,469
Students receiving federal student loan	79.0% Average amount $3,074	52.0% Average amount $5,169
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $13,570	5.0% Average amount $15,404

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,058 Men 48.7% Women 51.3%	2,341 Men 44.9% Women 55.1%
Graduate students	N/A	706 Men 34.6% Women 65.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	38.4%	N/A
International students	1.5%	5.9%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,418	2,153
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Alabama Georgia Tennessee Florida Texas	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Psychology Business Computer and Information Science Education	Psychology Theology Education Health Professions Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	69.8%	87.6%
Dropout rate	4.8%	3.1%
Transferred out	24.7%	9.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,374 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $50,065 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,048 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,580 Year 2: $26,933 Year 3: N/A	Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,492 Year 2: $48,667 Year 3: $61,559 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,982 Year 2: $37,748 Year 3: $48,761 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,694 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $48,539 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $30,613 Year 2: $33,459 Year 3: $41,661 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,251 Year 2: $37,856 Year 3: $41,339 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,767 Year 2: $39,049 Year 3: $38,775 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $35,864 Year 3: $36,928 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,471 Year 2: $27,126 Year 3: $34,682 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,825 Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $32,867 Religious Education (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $31,289

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Birmingham-Southern College

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