FSW vs. GSU

Should I go to Florida SouthWestern State College or Governors State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if FSW or GSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Florida SouthWestern State College vs. Governors State University comparison
Florida SouthWestern State College Governors State University College 3 College 4
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Overview

FSW GSU
Location Fort Myers, FL University Park, IL
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 13,860 4,337
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website edison.edu govst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

FSW GSU
Tuition (In State) $2,436 $7,872
Tuition (Out of State) $9,750 $7,872
Room & Board $10,044 $11,360
Avg Net Price $9,030 $10,833
Avg Grant Aid $5,767 $11,315
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 90%

Admission

FSW GSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open
Enrolled % Open
Avg High School GPA 3.06 4.0
Typical High School Grades B A/A+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 830/1060
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

FSW GSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 28:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (5%)
  • Education (4%)

Outcomes

FSW GSU
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,000 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $93 $178

Diversity

FSW GSU
% Men 8% 15%
% Women 15% 27%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 36%
% Black 11% 38%
% Hispanic 28% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 9%

Students

FSW GSU
% In-State 94% 95%
% Out-of-State 0% 3%

Campus

FSW GSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida SouthWestern State College is larger than than GSU based on total student enrollment (13,860 students vs. 4,337 students)

FSW vs. GSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FSW or GSU?

  • Governors State University is 223.2% more expensive to attend than FSW for in-state tuition ($7,872.00 vs. $2,436.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.9% higher at FSW than Governors State University ($9,750.00 vs. $7,872.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida SouthWestern State College than GSU ($9,030 vs. $10,833)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida SouthWestern State College are 13.1% lower than costs at Governors State University ($10,044 vs. $11,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Governors State University than Florida SouthWestern State College (90% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Governors State University students is 96.2% larger than aid received Florida SouthWestern State College ($11,315 vs. $5,767)

Which college is harder to get into, FSW or GSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between GSU or FSW .

  • Accepted freshman GSU students have a 0.94 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at FSW (3.06)

FSW vs. GSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FSW or GSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between GSU and FSW.

  • Graduates from Governors State University earn on average $5,200 more per year than FSW graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $37,400)
  • Florida SouthWestern State College students graduate with a $8,250 lower median federal student loan debt than GSU graduates. ($9,000 vs. $17,250)
  • FSW graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than GSU graduates. ($93 vs. $178)
  • More GSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FSW students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 43%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/