Florida Southern vs. Florida Poly

Should I go to Florida Southern College or Florida Polytechnic University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Florida Southern or Florida Poly 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. Florida Polytechnic University comparison
Florida Southern College Florida Polytechnic University College 3 College 4
Florida Southern College Florida Polytechnic University
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Overview

Florida Southern Florida Poly
Location Lakeland, FL Lakeland, Florida
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,194 1,618
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #294
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website flsouthern.edu floridapoly.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida Southern Florida Poly
Tuition (In State) $41,500 $3,152
Tuition (Out of State) $41,500 $3,152
Room & Board $13,800 $12,940
Avg Net Price $30,462 $11,923
Avg Grant Aid $26,704 $9,269
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Florida Southern Florida Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,874 2,600
Admitted 6,423 1,449
Acceptance Rate 59.1% 55.7%
Enrolled % 10% 27.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 24/30
SAT Range 1170/1310 1180/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

Florida Southern Florida Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Florida Southern Florida Poly
Graduation Rate 55% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 65% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $248 N/A

Diversity

Florida Southern Florida Poly
% Men 6% 2%
% Women 12% 1%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 74% 0%
% Black 6% 0%
% Hispanic 11% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Florida Southern Florida Poly
% In-State 62% 78%
% Out-of-State 36% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Southern College is larger than than Florida Poly based on total student enrollment (3,194 students vs. 1,618 students)

Florida Southern vs. Florida Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida Southern or Florida Poly?

  • Florida Southern College is 1,216.6% more expensive to attend than Florida Poly for in-state tuition ($41,500.00 vs. $3,152.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1,216.6% higher at Florida Southern than Florida Polytechnic University ($41,500.00 vs. $3,152.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Polytechnic University than Florida Southern ($11,923 vs. $30,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Polytechnic University are 6.6% lower than costs at Florida Southern College ($12,940 vs. $13,800)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College as Florida Polytechnic University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Southern College students is 188.1% larger than aid received Florida Polytechnic University ($26,704 vs. $9,269)

Florida Southern vs. Florida Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Florida Southern students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Florida Poly (3.53)
  • Florida Southern has a higher acceptance rate (59.1%) than Florida Poly (55.7%)

Florida Southern vs. Florida Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

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