Florida Southern vs. USF Main Campus

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

Florida Southern USF Main Campus
Location Lakeland, FL Tampa, FL
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 3,281 49,600
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #425 #423
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website flsouthern.edu usf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida Southern USF Main Campus
Tuition (In State) $39,700 $4,559
Tuition (Out of State) $39,700 $15,473
Room & Board $12,400 $12,622
Avg Net Price $27,324 $11,004
Avg Grant Aid $27,730 $11,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

Florida Southern USF Main Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,120 65,568
Admitted 6,295 28,801
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 43.9%
Enrolled % 12% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.64
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/29 24/29
SAT Range 1080/1290 1140/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Florida Southern USF Main Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

Florida Southern USF Main Campus
Graduation Rate 55% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $19,147
Median Loan Payment $248 $197

Diversity

Florida Southern USF Main Campus
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 51%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 21%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Florida Southern USF Main Campus
% In-State 51% 74%
% Out-of-State 45% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than Florida Southern based on total student enrollment (49,600 students vs. 3,281 students)

Florida Southern vs. USF Main Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida Southern or USF Main Campus?

  • Florida Southern College is 770.8% more expensive to attend than USF Main Campus for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $4,559.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 156.6% higher at Florida Southern than University of South Florida Main Campus ($39,700.00 vs. $15,473.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than Florida Southern ($11,004 vs. $27,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Southern College are 1.8% lower than costs at University of South Florida Main Campus ($12,400 vs. $12,622)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College than University of South Florida Main Campus (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Southern College students is 150.6% larger than aid received University of South Florida Main Campus ($27,730 vs. $11,066)

Florida Southern vs. USF Main Campus Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Florida Main Campus (1177) is 5 points higher than at Florida Southern (1172)
  • Incoming Florida Southern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at USF Main Campus (26)
  • Accepted freshman Florida Southern students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at USF Main Campus (3.64)
  • Florida Southern has a higher acceptance rate (56.6%) than USF Main Campus (43.9%)

Florida Southern vs. USF Main Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida Southern or USF Main Campus? 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 USF Main Campus and Florida Southern.

  • The graduation rate at Florida Southern is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (55% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from University of South Florida Main Campus earn on average $3,800 more per year than Florida Southern graduates after ten years. ($46,500 vs. $42,700)
  • University of South Florida Main Campus students graduate with a $4,853 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida Southern graduates. ($19,147 vs. $24,000)
  • USF Main Campus graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Florida Southern graduates. ($197 vs. $248)
  • More Florida Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 57%)

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