Southern State Community College vs. Fortis College-Columbus

Comparable Facts

Compare Southern State Community College in Hillsboro, OH with Fortis College Columbus in Westerville, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southern State Community College is larger than Fortis College-Columbus based on total student enrollment (2,227 students vs. 766 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southern State Community College is located in Hillsboro, OH (Rural Fringe setting); Fortis College Columbus is in Westerville, OH (Large Suburban setting).
• Southern State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Fortis College Columbus is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southern State Community College 20:1; Fortis College Columbus 16:1.

Southern State Community College vs. Fortis College-Columbus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southern State Community College or Fortis College-Columbus? 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 Southern State Community College than Fortis College-Columbus ($9,431 vs. $26,771).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern State Community College are 58.9% lower than at Fortis College Columbus ($6,928 vs. $16,875).
• Fortis College Columbus is 152.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southern State Community College (about $9,023 more per year; $14,935.00 vs. $5,912.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.1% higher at Fortis College-Columbus than at Southern State Community College (about $4,117 more per year; $14,935.00 vs. $10,818.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fortis College Columbus than at Southern State Community College (86% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fortis College Columbus students is 42.1% larger than aid received by Southern State Community College students ($7,836 vs. $5,513).

Southern State Community College vs. Fortis College-Columbus Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southern State Community College or Fortis College-Columbus? 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 College-Columbus and Southern State Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Southern State Community College - Open admission; Fortis College-Columbus - Open admission.

Southern State Community College vs. Fortis College-Columbus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Southern State Community College and Fortis College-Columbus? 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 Southern State Community College earn a median of about $3,800 more per year than Fortis College-Columbus graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,100 vs. $27,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southern State Community College graduates have a $480 lower median loan debt than Fortis College-Columbus graduates ($12,370 vs. $12,850).
• Among borrowers, Southern State Community College graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Fortis College-Columbus graduates ($127 vs. $132).
• More Southern State Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fortis College-Columbus students, three years after graduation. (29% vs. 22%)

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.