Northwest Shoals Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham

Comparable Facts

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

Northwest Shoals Community College is larger than Fortis Institute-Birmingham based on total student enrollment (4,665 students vs. 613 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northwest Shoals Community College is located in Muscle Shoals, AL (Small City setting); Fortis Institute Birmingham is in Birmingham, AL (Rural Fringe setting).
• Northwest Shoals 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: Northwest Shoals Community College 18:1; Fortis Institute Birmingham 30:1.

Northwest Shoals Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwest Shoals 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 Northwest Shoals Community College than Fortis Institute-Birmingham ($3,054 vs. $25,960).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest Shoals Community College are 7.4% lower than at Fortis Institute Birmingham ($10,000 vs. $10,800).
• Fortis Institute Birmingham is 198.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Northwest Shoals Community College (about $10,204 more per year; $15,335.00 vs. $5,131.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 70.4% higher at Fortis Institute-Birmingham than at Northwest Shoals Community College (about $6,334 more per year; $15,335.00 vs. $9,001.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fortis Institute Birmingham than at Northwest Shoals Community College (84% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest Shoals Community College students is 8.3% larger than aid received by Fortis Institute Birmingham students ($8,090 vs. $7,468).

Northwest Shoals Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northwest Shoals 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 Northwest Shoals Community College.

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

Northwest Shoals Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northwest Shoals 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 Northwest Shoals Community College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,900 vs. $26,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Northwest Shoals Community College graduates have a $1,628 lower median loan debt than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates ($11,000 vs. $12,628).
• Among borrowers, Northwest Shoals Community College graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates ($113 vs. $130).
• More Northwest Shoals Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fortis Institute-Birmingham students, three years after graduation. (37% 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.