NACC vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham

Comparable Facts

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

Northeast Alabama Community College is larger than Fortis Institute-Birmingham based on total student enrollment (3,208 students vs. 613 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northeast Alabama Community College is located in Rainsville, AL (Distant Rural setting); Fortis Institute Birmingham is in Birmingham, AL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Northeast Alabama 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: Northeast Alabama Community College 17:1; Fortis Institute Birmingham 30:1.

NACC vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NACC 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 Northeast Alabama Community College than Fortis Institute-Birmingham ($6,054 vs. $25,960).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeast Alabama Community College are 9.3% lower than at Fortis Institute Birmingham ($9,800 vs. $10,800).
• Fortis Institute Birmingham is 204.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than NACC (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 Northeast Alabama Community College (about $6,425 more per year; $15,335.00 vs. $8,910.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northeast Alabama Community College than at Fortis Institute Birmingham (90% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fortis Institute Birmingham students is 2.7% larger than aid received by Northeast Alabama Community College students ($7,468 vs. $7,271).

NACC vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NACC or Fortis Institute-Birmingham? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Fortis Institute-Birmingham and NACC.

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

NACC vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NACC and Fortis Institute-Birmingham? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Northeast Alabama Community College earn a median of about $3,800 more per year than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates about ten years after starting college ($30,600 vs. $26,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Northeast Alabama Community College graduates have a $8,128 lower median loan debt than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates ($4,500 vs. $12,628).
• Among borrowers, NACC graduates have an estimated $84 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates ($46 vs. $130).
• More NACC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fortis Institute-Birmingham students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 19%)

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.