At $23,351/yr net price, Birmingham-Southern College graduates earn $59,481/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $25,481/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $23,351 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $93,404 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,481/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$25,481/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 3.7 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 64.2% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $25,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $19,562/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,562/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,634/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,894/yr |
| $110,001+ | $25,419/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Bachelor | $33,993 | $26,000 |
| Psychology, General. | Bachelor | $26,933 | $24,857 |
The Risk Factor
64.2% of students at Birmingham-Southern College graduate within 6 years. A significant share of students finish, but roughly 36% do not complete their degree.
Analysis
Birmingham-Southern College closed in 2024, but the financial record it left is mixed leaning weak. Your median debt of $25,000 sits below the loan you'd take at many private colleges, and a graduate at the median earns enough a decade out to service it. But the two bachelor programs with reported earnings tell a harsher story: business graduates start near $34,000 and psychology graduates near $27,000, both well under the school-wide median. That gap means the $59,481 figure is carried by a handful of higher-paying paths, not the programs most students actually finished.
Business is the safer bet here, paying roughly $7,000 more early on than psychology while carrying similar debt. Psychology is the weakest financial choice on this list: you'd leave with nearly $25,000 in loans against starting pay under $27,000, a ratio that takes years to recover from in the Birmingham job market.
The specific risk is retention. Only 63 percent of students came back for a second year, and 64 percent graduated. If you'd landed in the third who left, you'd have carried debt with no degree to pay it off, which is the worst financial outcome any college offers.
The net price barely moves with income. A family under $30,000 paid about $19,600. a family over $110,000 paid about $25,400. That $6,000 spread is small, so lower-income families shouldered a price close to what wealthy families paid. If you were low-income, this school demanded a large share of what you had.
This school fit you if you majored in business, expected to graduate on time, and could absorb the flat net price. If you leaned toward psychology or weren't sure you'd finish, the numbers argued against it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birmingham-Southern College worth the cost?
Birmingham-Southern College's graduates earn a median of $59,481 ten years after graduation, which is modest given the $23,351 annual net price. With a 64% graduation rate and $25,000 median debt, the return on investment is mixed depending on your field of study.
Which Birmingham-Southern College programs have the best ROI?
Business Administration programs at Birmingham-Southern show stronger earnings potential at $33,993 compared to Psychology graduates who earn $26,933. The business programs offer better financial returns relative to the cost of attendance.
How much debt do Birmingham-Southern College graduates typically have?
Birmingham-Southern graduates carry a median debt of $25,000, which is manageable compared to many private colleges. However, this debt load may be challenging for graduates in lower-paying fields like psychology.
What is the graduation rate at Birmingham-Southern College?
Birmingham-Southern College has a 64% graduation rate, meaning about one-third of students don't finish their degree. This completion rate is a significant risk factor when considering the college's cost and potential return on investment.