Palm Beach State College vs. Southwest Florida College

Should I go to Palm Beach State College or Southwest Florida College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Palm Beach State College or Southwest Florida College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

BC Indian River State College Valencia College MDC Barry University Lynn University
Palm Beach State College vs. Southwest Florida College comparison
Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College College 3 College 4
Palm Beach State College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
Location Lake Worth, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 24,223 578
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website palmbeachstate.edu swfc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
Tuition (In State) $3,030 $14,742
Tuition (Out of State) $10,890 $14,742
Room & Board $12,825 $11,164
Avg Net Price $10,549 $19,073
Avg Grant Aid $5,996 $5,823
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 82%

Admission

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025

Academics

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Health Professions (51%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,000 $26,100
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 26%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,750 $21,649
Median Loan Payment $59 $223

Diversity

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 47%
% Black 25% 20%
% Hispanic 28% 25%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
% In-State 98% 100%
% Out-of-State 1% 0%

Campus

Palm Beach State College Southwest Florida College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Palm Beach State College is larger than than Southwest Florida College based on total student enrollment (24,223 students vs. 578 students)

Palm Beach State College vs. Southwest Florida College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palm Beach State College or Southwest Florida College?

  • Southwest Florida College is 386.5% more expensive to attend than Palm Beach State College for in-state tuition ($14,742.00 vs. $3,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.4% higher at Southwest Florida College than Palm Beach State College ($14,742.00 vs. $10,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palm Beach State College than Southwest Florida College ($10,549 vs. $19,073)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Florida College are 14.9% lower than costs at Palm Beach State College ($11,164 vs. $12,825)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palm Beach State College than Southwest Florida College (91% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Palm Beach State College students is 3% larger than aid received Southwest Florida College ($5,996 vs. $5,823)

Which college is harder to get into, Palm Beach State College or Southwest Florida College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Southwest Florida College or Palm Beach State College .

Palm Beach State College vs. Southwest Florida College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Palm Beach State College or Southwest Florida College? 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 Southwest Florida College and Palm Beach State College.

  • Graduates from Palm Beach State College earn on average $9,900 more per year than Southwest Florida College graduates after ten years. ($36,000 vs. $26,100)
  • Palm Beach State College students graduate with a $15,899 lower median federal student loan debt than Southwest Florida College graduates. ($5,750 vs. $21,649)
  • Palm Beach State College graduates are paying $164 less per month on federal student loans than Southwest Florida College graduates. ($59 vs. $223)
  • More Palm Beach State College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwest Florida College students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 26%)

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