Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
BWI Approach Control was vectoring us for a visual to RWY 10 and keeping us at 3;000 ft due to traffic below us at 2;000 ft.  Approach turned us in on a short approach between COLUM and JEANS fix to Runway 10 and cleared us to 2;000 ft.  On right base we were asked if field was in sight and we acknowledged it was and we were cleared for a visual to RWY 10 and contact tower.  Crossing altitude at JEANS is 1;500 ft so pilot flying selected 1;500 to catch the glide path.  At 1;800 ft tower said they were getting a low altitude alert and cleared to land.  Pilot flying disconnected the autopilot and leveled which was just about on glide path 6.4 miles from runway. We were never below the 1;500 ft min altitude inside of COLUM and joined the glide slope normally and landed.  The approach was stable at all times.Possible short approach clearance by ATC.Better vectors by ATC or requesting extended downwind.  Possibly alert was issued due to leaving us high and us having to increase rate of descent.
On arrival to BWI; the Approach Controller kept us at 3;000 ft due to a Cessna at 2;000 ft. As we were turned toward the final approach segment between COLUM and JEANS on the approach; the controller gave us 2;000 ft and asked if we had the field at 1;230 and 8 miles.  We confirmed the airport in sight and we were cleared for the visual approach and told to contact Tower. Crossing alt at JEANS is 1;500 ft. We started to descend to 1;500 as we were rolling into the final at 1;800 ft in the descent the tower called a low alt alert.  We leveled the aircraft at 1;800 ft and 6.4 miles from the runway. GS was captured and normal landing accomplished no other coms about low alt alert.We were cleared for a visual approach and were descending to the Altitude at the Marker. Apparently our rate of descent may have triggered the low alt alert.  The approach controller could have extended us further out in order to give more time to descend at a slower rate since they had held us up high so long.
Air Carrier Flight Crew reported Low Altitude Alert from ATC on approach.