UAFS vs. FSW

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers, FL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Florida SouthWestern State College is larger than UAFS based on total student enrollment (14,301 students vs. 5,496 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); Florida SouthWestern State College is in Fort Myers, FL (Large Suburban setting).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Florida SouthWestern State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; Florida SouthWestern State College 27:1.

UAFS vs. FSW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or FSW? 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 Florida SouthWestern State College than UAFS ($8,356 vs. $11,159).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 9.9% lower than at Florida SouthWestern State College ($10,082 vs. $11,185).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is 115.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than FSW (about $3,933 more per year; $7,334.00 vs. $3,401.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.5% higher at FSW than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $797 more per year; $12,979.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than at Florida SouthWestern State College (95% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students is 29.9% larger than aid received by Florida SouthWestern State College students ($7,715 vs. $5,938).

UAFS vs. FSW Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or FSW? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between FSW and UAFS.

• Florida SouthWestern State College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; FSW - Open admission.
• Enrolled freshman UAFS students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at FSW (3.06).

UAFS vs. FSW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and FSW? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith's six-year graduation rate is 23%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for FSW.
• Graduates from Florida SouthWestern State College earn a median of about $2,400 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,400 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Florida SouthWestern State College graduates have a $5,132 lower median loan debt than UAFS graduates ($9,000 vs. $14,132).
• Among borrowers, FSW graduates have an estimated $53 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UAFS graduates ($93 vs. $146).
• More UAFS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FSW students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 43%)

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.