Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis College

Comparable Facts

Compare Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, AL with Fortis College in Mobile, AL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Lawson State Community College is larger than Fortis College based on total student enrollment (3,453 students vs. 315 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lawson State Community College is located in Birmingham, AL (Midsize City setting); Fortis College is in Mobile, AL (Midsize City setting).
• Lawson State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Fortis College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lawson State Community College 19:1; Fortis College 31:1.

Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lawson State Community College or Fortis College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lawson State Community College than Fortis College ($6,578 vs. $19,074).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lawson State Community College are 15.1% lower than at Fortis College ($4,760 vs. $5,607).
• Fortis College is 191% more expensive for in-state tuition than Lawson State Community College (about $9,624 more per year; $14,664.00 vs. $5,040.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 64.6% higher at Fortis College than at Lawson State Community College (about $5,754 more per year; $14,664.00 vs. $8,910.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lawson State Community College than at Fortis College (95% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lawson State Community College students is 23% larger than aid received by Fortis College students ($8,236 vs. $6,694).

Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lawson State Community College or Fortis College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Fortis College and Lawson State Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Lawson State Community College - Open admission; Fortis College - Open admission.

Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lawson State Community College and Fortis College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Lawson State Community College earn a median of about $4,900 more per year than Fortis College graduates about ten years after starting college ($26,900 vs. $22,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.