FSW vs. BSC

Deciding between Florida SouthWestern State College and Bismarck State College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • FSW Fort Myers, FL
  • BSC Bismarck, ND
  • Setting
  • FSW Large Suburban
  • BSC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • FSW 14,301
  • BSC 4,206
  • Type
  • FSW Public 4 Year
  • BSC Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • FSW
  • BSC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • FSW -
  • BSC -
  • Status
  • FSW Non-profit
  • BSC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • FSW
  • BSC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • FSW $3,401
  • BSC $5,247
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • FSW $12,979
  • BSC $7,331
  • Room & Board
  • FSW $11,185
  • BSC $8,273
  • Average Net Price
  • FSW $8,356
  • BSC $10,462
  • Average Grant Aid
  • FSW $5,938
  • BSC $5,049
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • FSW 80%
  • BSC 73%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • FSW -
  • BSC -
  • Admitted
  • FSW -
  • BSC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • FSW Open
  • BSC Open
  • Enrolled
  • FSW Open
  • BSC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • FSW
  • BSC
  • Typical ACT score
  • FSW
  • BSC
  • Average High School GPA
  • FSW 3.06
  • BSC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • FSW B
  • BSC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • FSW Unavailable
  • BSC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • FSW
  • BSC
  • ACT Range
  • FSW
  • BSC
  • SAT Range
  • FSW
  • BSC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • FSW Open admission
  • BSC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • FSW
  • BSC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • FSW 27:1
  • BSC 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • FSW
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
    • Health Professions (26%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
    • Business (5%)
    • Education (4%)
  • BSC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (41%)
    • Engineering Technology (27%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
    • Business (6%)
    • Construction Trades (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • FSW -
  • BSC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • FSW $37,400
  • BSC $49,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • FSW 43%
  • BSC 74%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • FSW $9,000
  • BSC $11,041
  • Median Loan Payment
  • FSW $93
  • BSC $114

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • FSW 36%
  • BSC 50%
  • % Women
  • FSW 64%
  • BSC 50%
  • Racial Diversity
  • FSW High
  • BSC Very Low
  • HBCU
  • FSW No
  • BSC No
  • % White
  • FSW 51%
  • BSC 86%
  • % Asian
  • FSW 2%
  • BSC 1%
  • % Black
  • FSW 11%
  • BSC 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • FSW 28%
  • BSC 3%
  • % Native American
  • FSW 0%
  • BSC 2%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • FSW 0%
  • BSC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • FSW 2%
  • BSC 3%
  • % International
  • FSW 2%
  • BSC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • FSW 4%
  • BSC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • FSW 93%
  • BSC 91%
  • % Out-of-State
  • FSW 0%
  • BSC 8%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • FSW Yes
  • BSC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • FSW No
  • BSC No
  • Meal Plan
  • FSW No
  • BSC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • FSW Yes
  • BSC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • FSW Yes
  • BSC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers, FL with Bismarck State College in Bismarck, ND on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Florida SouthWestern State College is larger than BSC based on total student enrollment (14,301 students vs. 4,206 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Florida SouthWestern State College is located in Fort Myers, FL (Large Suburban setting); Bismarck State College is in Bismarck, ND (Small City setting).
  • Florida SouthWestern State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Bismarck State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Florida SouthWestern State College 27:1; Bismarck State College 13:1.

FSW vs. BSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FSW or BSC? 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 Florida SouthWestern State College than BSC ($8,356 vs. $10,462).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bismarck State College are 26% lower than at Florida SouthWestern State College ($8,273 vs. $11,185).
  • Bismarck State College is 54.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than FSW (about $1,846 more per year; $5,247.00 vs. $3,401.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 77% higher at FSW than at Bismarck State College (about $5,648 more per year; $12,979.00 vs. $7,331.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Florida SouthWestern State College than at Bismarck State College (80% vs. 73%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida SouthWestern State College students is 17.6% larger than aid received by Bismarck State College students ($5,938 vs. $5,049).

FSW vs. BSC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, FSW or BSC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between BSC and FSW.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: FSW - Open admission; BSC - Open admission.

FSW vs. BSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for FSW and BSC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Bismarck State College earn a median of about $11,800 more per year than FSW graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,200 vs. $37,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Florida SouthWestern State College graduates have a $2,041 lower median loan debt than BSC graduates ($9,000 vs. $11,041).
  • Among borrowers, FSW graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BSC graduates ($93 vs. $114).
  • More BSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FSW students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 43%)

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.