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Florida Southern College

Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 62/100

Florida Southern College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Lakeland, Florida

About Florida Southern College

Florida Southern College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Lakeland, Florida. It enrolls 2,656 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Official website: flsouthern.edu

Acceptance: 64.4%
Graduation: 63%
Net Price: $28,551
Median Earnings (10yr): $55,294
Enrollment: 2,656
Student : Faculty: 10:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Good

62/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 68

Value 17

Affordability 28

Selectivity 72

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 64.4%, Florida Southern College is moderately selective.

Acceptance Rate

64.4%

Moderate

SAT Range (25th–75th)

1150 – 1330

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

25 – 30

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Florida Southern College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 6.9 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Florida Southern College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $28,551 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$28,551

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

28%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

54%

Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees: $44,040
Room & Board (on-campus): $14,360
Room & Board (off-campus): $14,360
Books & Supplies: $1,250
Other Expenses (on-campus): $3,550
Other Expenses (off-campus): $3,550
Total Cost of Attendance: $60,768

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

Under $30,000

$23,624
$30,001 – $48,000

$21,385
$48,001 – $75,000

$25,830
$75,001 – $110,000

$29,044
Over $110,000

$33,706

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$3,250

10% percentile

$6,250

25% percentile

$25,000

Median percentile

$27,000

75% percentile

$34,200

90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median

Pell recipients $20,500 ↓ $4,500

No Pell $17,398 ↓ $7,602

Dependent students $19,500 ↓ $5,500

Independent students $17,875 ↓ $7,125

Female students $19,500 ↓ $5,500

Male students $18,750 ↓ $6,250

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

63% of full-time students who enrolled at Florida Southern College graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

63%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

79%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Florida Southern College earn a median of $55,294 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$55,294

Earning > $25K

83%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$40,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$49,500

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$44,100

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$43,900

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$45,000

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $8,800, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 21.0 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Excellent. 87% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Florida Southern College is home to 2,656 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled

2,656

Part-Time

First-Generation

28%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 63.9% 1,696

Hispanic 17.9% 474

Black 6.7% 177

Other 5.7% 150

International 3.4% 91

Asian 2.4% 63

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Florida Southern College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Midsize City Lakeland, Florida

Housing

Strongly residential 2,267 beds for 2,656 students

Adult Learners

4% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

Florida Southern College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 58 distinct programs across 19 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

7 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)

10 Programs

Health

Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Rehabilitation $56K ($40K–$74K)

5 Programs

Biology

Ecology $49K ($36K–$64K)
Physiology $62K ($42K–$84K)
Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)

8 Programs

Visual & Performing Arts

Drama & Theatre $40K ($25K–$55K)
Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
Fine Arts $41K ($26K–$57K)

3 Programs

Communication

Public Relations $64K ($46K–$84K)
Radio, Television & Digital Media $50K ($34K–$70K)
Communication & Media $56K ($40K–$76K)

1 Program

Computer Science

Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Florida Southern College is 10:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).

Student : Faculty

10:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$263M

Solid financial position

Avg Faculty Salary

$79,516

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

166 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank	Faculty Count	Share	Avg Salary
Full Professors	22	13%	$101,443
Associate Professors	57	34%	$84,147
Assistant Professors	60	36%	$74,198
Instructors	27	16%	$63,689

Pros & Cons of Florida Southern College

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Florida Southern College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Solid post-graduation earnings

CONS

Above-average net price
High published cost of attendance before aid

Frequently Asked Questions about Florida Southern College

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Florida Southern College.

Is Florida Southern College hard to get into?

Admissions at Florida Southern College are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 64.4%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.

What is the acceptance rate at Florida Southern College?

Florida Southern College has an acceptance rate of 64.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for Florida Southern College?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Florida Southern College scored between 1150 and 1330 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

What ACT score do you need for Florida Southern College?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Florida Southern College scored between 25 and 30 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does Florida Southern College cost?

The average net price after aid at Florida Southern College is $28,551 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Florida Southern College worth it?

Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $55,294 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $28,551 per year. That's roughly 1.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Florida Southern College known for?

Florida Southern College is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Business Administration, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Florida Southern College graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Florida Southern College are $55,294, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Florida Southern College accredited?

Yes. Florida Southern College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How many students attend Florida Southern College?

Florida Southern College enrolls 2,656 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Florida Southern College?

Florida Southern College graduates 63% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Florida Southern College a public or private college?

Florida Southern College is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Florida Southern College located?

Florida Southern College is located in Lakeland, Florida.

What programs does Florida Southern College offer?

Florida Southern College offers 58 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Business Administration, Nursing.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Florida Southern College?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Florida Southern College is 10:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.