FSW vs. St Petersburg College

Comparable Facts

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

St Petersburg College is larger than FSW based on total student enrollment (23,936 students vs. 14,301 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Florida SouthWestern State College is located in Fort Myers, FL (Large Suburban setting); St Petersburg College is in St. Petersburg, FL (Small City setting).
• Florida SouthWestern State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. St Petersburg College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Florida SouthWestern State College 27:1; St Petersburg College 25:1.

FSW vs. St Petersburg College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FSW or St Petersburg 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 St Petersburg College than FSW ($2,333 vs. $8,356).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida SouthWestern State College are 36.7% lower than at St Petersburg College ($11,185 vs. $17,680).
• Florida SouthWestern State College is 26.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than St Petersburg College (about $719 more per year; $3,401.00 vs. $2,682.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 39.8% higher at FSW than at St Petersburg College (about $3,693 more per year; $12,979.00 vs. $9,286.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Florida SouthWestern State College than at St Petersburg College (80% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St Petersburg College students is 73.2% larger than aid received by Florida SouthWestern State College students ($10,285 vs. $5,938).

FSW vs. St Petersburg College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, FSW or St Petersburg College? 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 St Petersburg College 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; St Petersburg College - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman FSW students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.06) than students at St Petersburg College (3.0).

FSW vs. St Petersburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for FSW and St Petersburg College? 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 $1,700 more per year than St Petersburg College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,400 vs. $35,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Florida SouthWestern State College graduates have a $7,249 lower median loan debt than St Petersburg College graduates ($9,000 vs. $16,249).
• Among borrowers, FSW graduates have an estimated $75 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St Petersburg College graduates ($93 vs. $168).
• More FSW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St Petersburg College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 30%)

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.