Birmingham-Southern: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially Birmingham Southern College · Birmingham, Alabama · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
Admission figures come from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set published by Birmingham Southern College.
Is Birmingham-Southern a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Birmingham-Southern against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Birmingham-Southern is a private nonprofit university in Birmingham, Alabama that admits about 52% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $23,351 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Psychology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates.
Birmingham-Southern is a private institution located in Birmingham, Alabama with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Birmingham-Southern admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 52%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1197 and an ACT composite around 25. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $23,351 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Birmingham-Southern?
Birmingham-Southern admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
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SAT and ACT scores Birmingham-Southern typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–670, with an EBRW midpoint near 580. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–27. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
How much does Birmingham-Southern actually cost?
Published tuition is $22,750 for in-state students and $22,750 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,300 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $23,351 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 23% of students receive Pell Grants.
| Average net price (after aid) | $23,351 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
Most popular majors at Birmingham-Southern
The most popular undergraduate programs at Birmingham-Southern, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Psychology, General. Across all programs, Birmingham-Southern confers roughly 160 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $67,037 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 49 | $67,037 |
| Biology, General | 24 | $44,716 |
| Psychology, General | 17 | $48,809 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 17 | n/a |
| Political Science and Government | 16 | n/a |
| Mathematics | 13 | n/a |
| Accounting and Related Services | 13 | n/a |
| History | 11 | n/a |
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Next steps for Birmingham-Southern
Common questions parents ask about Birmingham-Southern
What GPA do I need for Birmingham-Southern?
Birmingham-Southern admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does Birmingham-Southern typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–670, with an EBRW midpoint near 580. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–27.
How much does Birmingham-Southern actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Birmingham-Southern after grants and scholarships is $23,351 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $22,750. Budget against the net figure.
Is Birmingham-Southern realistic for my child?
Birmingham-Southern admits 52% of applicants, so 570–670 SAT Math is target range and below 570 is a reach. Then check the $23,351 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Birmingham-Southern?
Birmingham-Southern accepts about 52% of applicants. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is Birmingham-Southern a public or private school, and where is it located?
Birmingham-Southern is a private nonprofit institution located in Birmingham, Alabama.
What are the most popular majors at Birmingham-Southern?
The largest undergraduate majors at Birmingham-Southern by annual graduates are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Psychology, General. The school awards about 160 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Birmingham Southern College, the College Scorecard and IPEDS. What each source covers