Regional university
#17 Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in AmericaFlorida Southern College
Lakeland, FL · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $28,551 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in America#17 of 292
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#100 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#137 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#164 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#176 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#142 of 834
Show 13 more
- Best colleges for business in America#276 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#234 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#231 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#148 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#297 of 1,418
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#385 of 1,829
- Best colleges in America#391 of 1,829
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#298 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#341 of 1,481
- Best colleges for history in America#294 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#280 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#293 of 1,215
- Best mid-size colleges in America#161 of 667
In Florida
- Best test-optional colleges in Florida#3 of 35
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Florida#3 of 21
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in Florida#2 of 13
- Best colleges for computer science in Florida#3 of 19
- Best mid-size colleges in Florida#4 of 21
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Florida#4 of 21
Show 8 more
- Best colleges in Florida#12 of 61
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Florida#12 of 61
- Best colleges for business in Florida#11 of 51
- Best colleges for marketing in Florida#8 of 32
- Best colleges for psychology in Florida#11 of 44
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Florida#10 of 38
- Best colleges for finance in Florida#8 of 29
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Florida#8 of 29
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.71%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.80%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,252 · ACT 27.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$11,211
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $60,768 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,626 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 35% · Women 65% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 28% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 37% |
| Total students | 3,194 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $28,551 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $60,768 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 71% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 65% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 62% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 64% |
| First-year retention | 80% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $55,294 |
| Admission rate | 64% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,230 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 28% |
| Average SAT | 1252 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 590–680 |
| SAT math | 560–650 |
| ACT composite | 25–30 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Computer science | |
| Accounting | |
| Business administration | |
| Biology | |
| Political science | |
| Psychology | |
| Public relations | |
| Theatre | |
| Criminology | |
| Teacher education | |
| Ecology and evolutionary biology | |
| Physiology and pathology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural business, Allied health, Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services, Arts management, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Broadcasting, Chemistry, Clinical laboratory science, Communication studies, Dance, Data Analytics, Design, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Film and video, Finance, Fine arts, Health administration, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Literature, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Philosophy, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social sciences, Statistics, Visual and performing arts, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Psychology | |
| Health professions |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 4% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $14,360 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Sunshine State Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 11 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 18%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $35,634IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 86% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL)About 5 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Tampa International Airport (TPA)About 36 miles away |
| Town population | 119,961Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | TampaAbout 33 miles away · about 50 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 62°F in January · 83°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Lakeland 2, FL, about 5 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.31 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.62 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.31 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Florida Southern College’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 21% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Florida Southern College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $28,551 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Florida Southern College?
- Florida Southern College admitted 64% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Florida Southern College’s graduates do?
- 71% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $55,294; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 134079
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (medium programs)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): United Methodist
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