Florida Southern vs. Nova

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

Florida Southern Nova
Location Lakeland, FL Fort Lauderdale, FL
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,281 20,948
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #425 #437
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website flsouthern.edu nova.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida Southern Nova
Tuition (In State) $39,700 $34,500
Tuition (Out of State) $39,700 $34,500
Room & Board $12,400 $14,588
Avg Net Price $27,324 $29,589
Avg Grant Aid $27,730 $23,958
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Florida Southern Nova
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,120 16,789
Admitted 6,295 12,726
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 75.8%
Enrolled % 12% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 20/27
SAT Range 1080/1290 1040/1310
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

Academics

Florida Southern Nova
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

Florida Southern Nova
Graduation Rate 55% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $53,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $25,100
Median Loan Payment $248 $259

Diversity

Florida Southern Nova
% Men 37% 28%
% Women 63% 72%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 31%
% Black 6% 18%
% Hispanic 11% 32%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Florida Southern Nova
% In-State 51% 56%
% Out-of-State 45% 39%

Campus

Florida Southern Nova
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

  • Nova Southeastern University is larger than than Florida Southern based on total student enrollment (20,948 students vs. 3,281 students)

Florida Southern vs. Nova Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida Southern or Nova?

  • Florida Southern College is 15.1% more expensive to attend than Nova for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $34,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.1% higher at Florida Southern than Nova Southeastern University ($39,700.00 vs. $34,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Southern College than Nova ($27,324 vs. $29,589)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Southern College are 17.6% lower than costs at Nova Southeastern University ($12,400 vs. $14,588)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College as Nova Southeastern University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Southern College students is 15.7% larger than aid received Nova Southeastern University ($27,730 vs. $23,958)

Florida Southern vs. Nova Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Southern College (1172) is 42 points higher than at Nova (1130)
  • Incoming Florida Southern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Nova (26)
  • Accepted freshman Nova students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Florida Southern (3.73)
  • Nova has a higher acceptance rate (75.8%) than Florida Southern (56.6%)

Florida Southern vs. Nova Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Florida Southern is higher than Nova Southeastern University (55% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Nova Southeastern University earn on average $10,600 more per year than Florida Southern graduates after ten years. ($53,300 vs. $42,700)
  • Florida Southern College students graduate with a $1,100 lower median federal student loan debt than Nova graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,100)
  • Florida Southern graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Nova graduates. ($248 vs. $259)
  • More Florida Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Nova students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 44%)

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