Design Institute of San Diego vs. Southern Technical College

Comparable Facts

Compare Design Institute of San Diego in San Diego, CA with Southern Technical College in Fort Myers, FL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southern Technical College is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (550 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Design Institute of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); Southern Technical College is in Fort Myers, FL (Small City setting).
• Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. Southern Technical College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Design Institute of San Diego 8:1; Southern Technical College 20:1.

Design Institute of San Diego vs. Southern Technical College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Design Institute of San Diego or Southern Technical College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Technical College than Design Institute of San Diego ($21,033 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Technical College are 44.2% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($12,330 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 96.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southern Technical College (about $14,406 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $14,894.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 96.7% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at Southern Technical College (about $14,406 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $14,894.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at Southern Technical College (100% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students is 120.1% larger than aid received by Southern Technical College students ($11,901 vs. $5,406).

Design Institute of San Diego vs. Southern Technical College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Design Institute of San Diego or Southern Technical College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Southern Technical College and Design Institute of San Diego.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission; Southern Technical College - Open admission.

Design Institute of San Diego vs. Southern Technical College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Design Institute of San Diego and Southern Technical College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Design Institute of San Diego's six-year graduation rate is 62%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for Southern Technical College.
• Graduates from Design Institute of San Diego earn a median of about $12,800 more per year than Southern Technical College graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,900 vs. $26,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southern Technical College graduates have a $18,936 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($21,649 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, Southern Technical College graduates have an estimated $196 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($223 vs. $419).
• More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southern Technical College students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 26%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.