Shelton State Community College vs. Fortis Institute-Birmingham

Comparable Facts

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

Shelton State Community College is larger than Fortis Institute-Birmingham based on total student enrollment (4,601 students vs. 613 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

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

Which college is more expensive, Shelton 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 Shelton State Community College than Fortis Institute-Birmingham ($14,539 vs. $25,960).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fortis Institute Birmingham are 10% lower than at Shelton State Community College ($10,800 vs. $12,000).
• Fortis Institute Birmingham is 199.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Shelton State Community College (about $10,208 more per year; $15,335.00 vs. $5,127.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 70.4% higher at Fortis Institute-Birmingham than at Shelton State Community College (about $6,338 more per year; $15,335.00 vs. $8,997.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fortis Institute Birmingham than at Shelton State Community College (84% vs. 58%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fortis Institute Birmingham students is 5.4% larger than aid received by Shelton State Community College students ($7,468 vs. $7,087).

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

Which college is harder to get into, Shelton 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 Shelton State Community College.

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

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

How do outcomes compare for Shelton 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 Shelton State Community College earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,000 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.