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Compare any two UK universities

Select any two universities below and we'll generate an instant, data-driven comparison — rankings, salaries, student satisfaction, international community, and more.

B
Birmingham City University

Birmingham · QS World #1001

U
University of Derby

Derby · QS World #1201

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 3 datapoints

We looked at 3 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

2/3

Birmingham City

scored higher in 2 categories

VS

1/3

Derby

scored higher in 1 category

Quick Verdict

Birmingham City University leads in 2 of 3 categories where both have data (ranking, scholarship). University of Derby is ahead on courses.

Birmingham City University vs University of Derby at a glance

Birmingham City University and University of Derby both teach 54 subject areas, the largest being Design & Fashion, Business & Management (General) and Childhood & Youth Studies. Birmingham City University offers 284 courses across 68 subject areas; University of Derby offers 375 courses across 74 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,570 a year at Birmingham City University and £16,900 at University of Derby: University of Derby is about £1,670 a year cheaper.

Of the 41 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, Birmingham City University is higher in 24 and University of Derby in 13, with 4 about level. The widest gap is in Civil Engineering: £23,500 three years after graduating from Birmingham City University, against £29,000 from University of Derby. Of the 42 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Derby is higher in 21 and Birmingham City University in 17, with 4 about level.

World & National Rankings

Compare world and national league table positions, TEF ratings, and Russell Group membership.

#1001
QS World
#1201
—
THE World
#601
—
Guardian UK
#80
N/A
Established
1851
No
Russell Group
No
—
TEF Rating
Gold

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

Longer bars indicate better performance. Metrics include student satisfaction, graduate salaries, and more.

Birmingham City University

University of Derby

No data
88.5%

Satisfaction

Student satisfaction with teaching (NSS Survey, out of 100%)

No data
£27,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

No data
85.4%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

No data
14.3%

International

International student share

284
375

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

10
6

Scholarships

Number of scholarships

International Community

Where do international students come from?

Top source countries based on official HESA enrolment data. A higher diversity of nationalities often means a richer campus experience.

Birmingham City

No published data on international students

    VS

    Derby

    64 countries · 14.3% international

    • 🇳🇬Nigeria34.5%
    • 🇮🇳India15.3%
    • 🇵🇰Pakistan8.1%
    • 🇬🇭Ghana6.5%
    • 🇰🇪Kenya5.5%

    Subjects

    54 subjects you can study at both

    Courses listed at each university in the subject, and the typical (median) international fee a year. Select a count to see the courses.

    Birmingham City University

    University of Derby

    Also taught at both: Building & Construction, Business Studies, Health & Social Care, Film Production & Cinematography, Finance & Actuarial Science, English Studies, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Journalism, Architecture, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Economics, Education Studies, Software Engineering, Creative Writing, Mental Health Nursing, Teacher Training, Adult Nursing, Biomedical Sciences, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Fine Art, Music, Technology & Logistics, Business Information Systems, Politics & International Relations, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Human Resource Management, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Social Work, Applied Biology & Human Biology, Children's Nursing, Clinical Specialities, Drama & Theatre, Management, Medical Imaging, Midwifery, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, English Language, Mathematics.

    Only at Birmingham City University

    Only at University of Derby

    Fees

    What it costs international students

    The typical (median) international tuition fee a year across each university's published course fees. Individual courses vary; each course page shows its own fee.

    Undergraduate

    Birmingham City University
    £18,570
    University of Derby
    £16,900

    University of Derby is about £1,670 a year cheaper.

    Postgraduate

    Birmingham City University
    No data
    University of Derby
    £17,500

    We do not have reliable international fee data for Birmingham City University yet.

    Outcomes

    Graduate outcomes by subject

    Median graduate salary three years after graduating, and student satisfaction with teaching, across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject. Source: Discover Uni.

    Birmingham City University

    University of Derby

    • Design & Fashion

      £20,000Salary (3 years)£19,000
      92%Satisfaction85%

    • Business & Management (General)

      £23,000Salary (3 years)£21,000
      83%Satisfaction93%

    • Marketing

      £23,500Salary (3 years)£23,500
      92%Satisfaction88%

    • Sociology & Criminology

      £22,000Salary (3 years)£20,500
      89%Satisfaction85%

    • Sport & Exercise Sciences

      No dataSalary (3 years)£22,000
      90%Satisfaction90%

    • Law

      £20,000Salary (3 years)£20,500
      80%Satisfaction87%

    • Psychology (General)

      £19,500Salary (3 years)£20,000
      79%Satisfaction90%

    • Media & Film Studies

      £21,500Salary (3 years)£20,000
      87%Satisfaction92%

    • Civil Engineering

      £23,500Salary (3 years)£29,000
      92%Satisfaction92%

    • Computer Science

      £23,500Salary (3 years)£29,000
      78%Satisfaction73%

    • Games Design & Computer Animation

      £23,000Salary (3 years)£21,000
      94%Satisfaction83%

    • Hospitality, Events & Tourism

      £23,000Salary (3 years)£19,000
      91%Satisfaction85%

    Showing the 12 largest of 43 shared subjects with published outcomes.

    Scholarships for International Students

    Exclusive

    Birmingham City University

    Henderson Bursaries and Scholarships 2026

    £10,000

    Deadline: N/A

    Henderson Bursaries and Scholarships 2026

    £10,000

    Deadline: N/A

    Millennium Point Scholarship

    100%

    Deadline: N/A

    Scott Trust Bursary

    £7,415

    Deadline: N/A

    Santander Scholarship

    £2,000

    Deadline: N/A

    View all scholarships →

    University of Derby

    Biomedical Science Excellence Scholarship

    See details

    Deadline: N/A

    Golding Awards

    See details

    Deadline: N/A

    Sarah Essam Football Scholarship

    See details

    Deadline: N/A

    Sitwell Scholarship

    See details

    Deadline: N/A

    Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

    See details

    Deadline: N/A

    View all scholarships →

    FAQ

    Birmingham City University vs University of Derby: common questions

    Is Birmingham City University or University of Derby cheaper for international students?

    For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,570 a year at Birmingham City University and £16,900 at University of Derby: University of Derby is about £1,670 a year cheaper. These are medians of the international tuition fees each university publishes for its courses; the fee for a specific course is on its course page.

    What subjects can you study at both Birmingham City University and University of Derby?

    Both universities teach 54 subject areas: Design & Fashion, Business & Management (General), Childhood & Youth Studies, Marketing, Sociology & Criminology, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Law, Psychology (General), Media & Film Studies, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Games Design & Computer Animation and 42 more.

    Is Birmingham City University or University of Derby better for Design & Fashion?

    Design & Fashion graduates earn a median £20,000 three years after graduating from Birmingham City University, and £19,000 from University of Derby. Student satisfaction with teaching is 92% at Birmingham City University and 85% at University of Derby. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

    Does Birmingham City University or University of Derby offer more courses?

    University of Derby lists 375 courses on CourseOptions and Birmingham City University lists 284 courses.

    What can you study at Birmingham City University but not at University of Derby?

    Birmingham City University teaches 14 subject areas that University of Derby does not, including Community & Specialist Nursing, Crafts & Applied Arts, Information Systems & Data Science, Applied Psychology, Landscape Architecture & Design, Minerals & Mining Technology, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Biochemistry and 6 more.

    What can you study at University of Derby but not at Birmingham City University?

    University of Derby teaches 20 subject areas that Birmingham City University does not, including History, Forensic Science, Personal & Professional Development, Applied Computing, Biology, Computing & IT, Environmental Sciences, General Engineering and 12 more.

    Ready to explore courses?

    Browse available courses, check entry requirements, and find scholarships at each university.

    B
    Birmingham City University284 courses · 10 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
    U
    University of Derby375 courses · 6 scholarshipsBrowse Courses