SCF vs. MDC

Deciding between State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota and Miami Dade College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota
Miami Dade College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SCF Bradenton, FL
  • MDC Miami, FL
  • Setting
  • SCF Large Suburban
  • MDC Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • SCF 8,750
  • MDC 58,941
  • Type
  • SCF Public 4 Year
  • MDC Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SCF
  • MDC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SCF -
  • MDC -
  • Status
  • SCF Non-profit
  • MDC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SCF
  • MDC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SCF $3,074
  • MDC $2,838
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SCF $11,595
  • MDC $9,661
  • Room & Board
  • SCF $26,718
  • MDC $27,262
  • Average Net Price
  • SCF $22,034
  • MDC $5,766
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SCF $6,668
  • MDC $7,216
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SCF 61%
  • MDC 86%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SCF -
  • MDC -
  • Admitted
  • SCF -
  • MDC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SCF Open
  • MDC Open
  • Enrolled
  • SCF Open
  • MDC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • SCF
  • MDC
  • Typical ACT score
  • SCF
  • MDC
  • Average High School GPA
  • SCF 3.1
  • MDC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SCF B
  • MDC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • SCF Unavailable
  • MDC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • SCF
  • MDC
  • ACT Range
  • SCF
  • MDC
  • SAT Range
  • SCF
  • MDC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SCF Open admission
  • MDC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • SCF
  • MDC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SCF 23:1
  • MDC 22:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SCF
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (76%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Education (2%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (2%)
    • Legal Professions (2%)
  • MDC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (68%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
    • Education (3%)
    • Business (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SCF -
  • MDC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SCF $33,700
  • MDC $34,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SCF 35%
  • MDC 41%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SCF $8,610
  • MDC $8,703
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SCF $89
  • MDC $89

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SCF 36%
  • MDC 42%
  • % Women
  • SCF 64%
  • MDC 58%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SCF Medium
  • MDC Medium
  • HBCU
  • SCF No
  • MDC No
  • % White
  • SCF 66%
  • MDC 6%
  • % Asian
  • SCF 2%
  • MDC 1%
  • % Black
  • SCF 9%
  • MDC 15%
  • % Hispanic
  • SCF 15%
  • MDC 69%
  • % Native American
  • SCF 0%
  • MDC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SCF 0%
  • MDC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SCF 2%
  • MDC 0%
  • % International
  • SCF 2%
  • MDC 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SCF 3%
  • MDC 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SCF 100%
  • MDC 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SCF 0%
  • MDC 1%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • SCF No
  • MDC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • SCF No
  • MDC No
  • Meal Plan
  • SCF No
  • MDC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • SCF No
  • MDC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • SCF No
  • MDC No

Comparable Facts

Compare State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota in Bradenton, FL with Miami Dade College in Miami, FL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Miami Dade College is larger than SCF based on total student enrollment (58,941 students vs. 8,750 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is located in Bradenton, FL (Large Suburban setting); Miami Dade College is in Miami, FL (Large City setting).
  • State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Miami Dade College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota 23:1; Miami Dade College 22:1.

SCF vs. MDC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCF or MDC? 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 Miami Dade College than SCF ($5,766 vs. $22,034).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota are 2% lower than at Miami Dade College ($26,718 vs. $27,262).
  • State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is 8.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than MDC (about $236 more per year; $3,074.00 vs. $2,838.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 20% higher at SCF than at Miami Dade College (about $1,934 more per year; $11,595.00 vs. $9,661.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Miami Dade College than at State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota (86% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Miami Dade College students is 8.2% larger than aid received by State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota students ($7,216 vs. $6,668).

SCF vs. MDC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SCF or MDC? 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 MDC and SCF.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SCF - Open admission; MDC - Open admission.

SCF vs. MDC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SCF and MDC? 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 Miami Dade College earn a median of about $400 more per year than SCF graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,100 vs. $33,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota graduates have a $93 lower median loan debt than MDC graduates ($8,610 vs. $8,703).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Miami Dade College and SCF graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($89 vs. $89).
  • More MDC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCF students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 35%)

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.