Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham

Comparable Facts

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

Lawson State Community College is larger than Fortis Institute-Birmingham based on total student enrollment (3,453 students vs. 613 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lawson State Community College is located in Birmingham, AL (Midsize City setting); Fortis Institute Birmingham is in Birmingham, AL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Lawson State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Fortis Institute Birmingham is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lawson State Community College 19:1; Fortis Institute Birmingham 30:1.

Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lawson State Community College or Fortis Institute-Birmingham? 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 Institute-Birmingham ($6,578 vs. $25,960).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lawson State Community College are 55.9% lower than at Fortis Institute Birmingham ($4,760 vs. $10,800).
• Fortis Institute Birmingham is 204.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Lawson State Community College (about $10,295 more per year; $15,335.00 vs. $5,040.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 72.1% higher at Fortis Institute-Birmingham than at Lawson State Community College (about $6,425 more per year; $15,335.00 vs. $8,910.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lawson State Community College than at Fortis Institute Birmingham (95% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lawson State Community College students is 10.3% larger than aid received by Fortis Institute Birmingham students ($8,236 vs. $7,468).

Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lawson State Community College or Fortis Institute-Birmingham? 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 Institute-Birmingham and Lawson State Community College.

• Lawson State Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Lawson State Community College - Open admission; Fortis Institute-Birmingham - Not reported.

Lawson State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lawson State Community College and Fortis Institute-Birmingham? 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 $100 more per year than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates about ten years after starting college ($26,900 vs. $26,800), 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.