Florida Southern vs. CofC

Should I go to Florida Southern College or College of Charleston? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Florida Southern or CofC 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 Southern College vs. College of Charleston comparison
Florida Southern College College of Charleston College 3 College 4
Florida Southern College College of Charleston
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Overview

Florida Southern CofC
Location Lakeland, FL Charleston, SC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 3,281 10,885
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #425 #428
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website flsouthern.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida Southern CofC
Tuition (In State) $39,700 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $39,700 $35,338
Room & Board $12,400 $12,986
Avg Net Price $27,324 $21,120
Avg Grant Aid $27,730 $9,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Florida Southern CofC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,120 22,020
Admitted 6,295 16,666
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 75.7%
Enrolled % 12% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 24/30
SAT Range 1080/1290 1130/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Florida Southern CofC
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

Florida Southern CofC
Graduation Rate 55% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $248 $222

Diversity

Florida Southern CofC
% Men 37% 32%
% Women 63% 68%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 80%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Florida Southern CofC
% In-State 51% 44%
% Out-of-State 45% 54%

Campus

Florida Southern CofC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of Charleston is larger than than Florida Southern based on total student enrollment (10,885 students vs. 3,281 students)

Florida Southern vs. CofC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida Southern or CofC?

  • Florida Southern College is 217.1% more expensive to attend than CofC for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $12,518.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.3% higher at Florida Southern than College of Charleston ($39,700.00 vs. $35,338.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Charleston than Florida Southern ($21,120 vs. $27,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Southern College are 4.7% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($12,400 vs. $12,986)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College as College of Charleston (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Southern College students is 191.9% larger than aid received College of Charleston ($27,730 vs. $9,499)

Florida Southern vs. CofC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Southern College (1172) is 31 points higher than at CofC (1141)
  • Incoming Florida Southern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at CofC (26)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Florida Southern (3.73)
  • CofC has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than Florida Southern (56.6%)

Florida Southern vs. CofC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida Southern or CofC? 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 CofC and Florida Southern.

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than Florida Southern College (63% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from College of Charleston earn on average $3,500 more per year than Florida Southern graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $42,700)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida Southern graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,000)
  • CofC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Florida Southern graduates. ($222 vs. $248)
  • More Florida Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 60%)

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