Florida Southern vs. Palm Beach Atlantic

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

Florida Southern Palm Beach Atlantic
Location Lakeland, FL West Palm Beach, FL
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 3,281 3,828
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #425 #491
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website flsouthern.edu pba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida Southern Palm Beach Atlantic
Tuition (In State) $39,700 $34,900
Tuition (Out of State) $39,700 $34,900
Room & Board $12,400 $11,690
Avg Net Price $27,324 $30,276
Avg Grant Aid $27,730 $22,749
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Florida Southern Palm Beach Atlantic
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,120 6,220
Admitted 6,295 5,888
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 94.7%
Enrolled % 12% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.36
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 19/26
SAT Range 1080/1290 1000/1240
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 Palm Beach Atlantic
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Florida Southern Palm Beach Atlantic
Graduation Rate 55% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $22,704
Median Loan Payment $248 $234

Diversity

Florida Southern Palm Beach Atlantic
% Men 37% 36%
% Women 63% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 62%
% Black 6% 12%
% Hispanic 11% 17%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Florida Southern Palm Beach Atlantic
% In-State 51% 46%
% Out-of-State 45% 51%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach is larger than than Florida Southern based on total student enrollment (3,828 students vs. 3,281 students)

Florida Southern vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida Southern or Palm Beach Atlantic?

  • Florida Southern College is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Palm Beach Atlantic for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $34,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.8% higher at Florida Southern than Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach ($39,700.00 vs. $34,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Southern College than Palm Beach Atlantic ($27,324 vs. $30,276)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach are 6.1% lower than costs at Florida Southern College ($11,690 vs. $12,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College than Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Southern College students is 21.9% larger than aid received Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach ($27,730 vs. $22,749)

Florida Southern vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Southern College (1172) is 107 points higher than at Palm Beach Atlantic (1065)
  • Incoming Florida Southern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (23)
  • Accepted freshman Florida Southern students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (3.36)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than Florida Southern (56.6%)

Florida Southern vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida Southern or Palm Beach Atlantic? 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 Palm Beach Atlantic and Florida Southern.

  • The graduation rate at Palm Beach Atlantic is higher than Florida Southern College (58% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach earn on average $3,600 more per year than Florida Southern graduates after ten years. ($46,300 vs. $42,700)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach students graduate with a $1,296 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida Southern graduates. ($22,704 vs. $24,000)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Florida Southern graduates. ($234 vs. $248)
  • More Florida Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach Atlantic students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 56%)

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