FSW vs. GCSC

Comparable Facts

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

Florida SouthWestern State College is larger than GCSC based on total student enrollment (14,301 students vs. 5,426 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Florida SouthWestern State College is located in Fort Myers, FL (Large Suburban setting); Gulf Coast State College is in Panama City, FL (Small City setting).
• Florida SouthWestern State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Gulf Coast State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Florida SouthWestern State College 27:1; Gulf Coast State College 22:1.

FSW vs. GCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FSW or GCSC? 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 Gulf Coast State College than FSW ($7,729 vs. $8,356).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida SouthWestern State College are 17% lower than at Gulf Coast State College ($11,185 vs. $13,482).
• Florida SouthWestern State College is 43.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than GCSC (about $1,031 more per year; $3,401.00 vs. $2,370.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 50.3% higher at FSW than at Gulf Coast State College (about $4,344 more per year; $12,979.00 vs. $8,635.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Gulf Coast State College than at Florida SouthWestern State College (91% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Gulf Coast State College students is 6% larger than aid received by Florida SouthWestern State College students ($6,295 vs. $5,938).

FSW vs. GCSC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, FSW or GCSC? 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 GCSC 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; GCSC - Open admission.

FSW vs. GCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for FSW and GCSC? 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 Florida SouthWestern State College earn a median of about $5,400 more per year than GCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,400 vs. $32,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Gulf Coast State College and FSW graduates have the same median loan debt ($9,000 vs. $9,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Gulf Coast State College and FSW graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($93 vs. $93).
• More FSW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GCSC students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 39%)

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.