Admit rate has ranged 50%–61% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Florida Southern College blends small-town charm with a powerhouse pre-professional focus, offering students a sun-drenched campus dotted with Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and a 99% job placement rate. With moderately selective admissions, 70+ undergraduate programs, and a tight-knit community fueled by 100+ clubs and Greek life, FSC delivers big-school opportunities with small-college attention—all within view of Florida’s lakes.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
2,656
In-state tuition
$44,040
Out-of-state tuition
$44,040
Total Cost
$63,200
Acceptance Rate
56-64%
6-Year Grad Rate
67.5%
On-Campus Housing
81%
Job/Grad School Rate
97.8%
Student-Faculty Ratio
14:1
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$55,294
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.9×
Median debt at graduation
$25,000
Graduation rate
71%
First-year retention
80%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
64%
Pell (lower-income) share
46%
First-generation share
28%
Endowment / student
$49,167
Financial health
2.8 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$61,020
Computer Science$59,846
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$42,030
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$40,821
Business Administration, Management and Operations$38,289
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
1
Per 1,000 students
0.38
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
125
Summer high
89°F
Winter low
54°F
Annual rain
59.5"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
49
Scholarly works
918
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.9%
Bottom → top quintile
24%
From bottom quintile
8%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Florida Southern College?
Florida Southern College's acceptance rate is approximately 64% (Lakeland, FL), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Florida Southern College?
Admitted students at Florida Southern College typically score 1150–1330 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Florida Southern College cost?
At Florida Southern College, the average net price (after aid) is about $28,551 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Florida Southern College?
Florida Southern College enrolls approximately 2,656 undergraduate students.
Where is Florida Southern College located?
Florida Southern College is located in Lakeland, FL.
Admissions
Florida Southern’s admissions tilt toward accessibility without sacrificing standards, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering between 56-64% depending on the year. The middle 50% of admitted students typically post SAT scores between 1100-1280 (or 24-30 on the ACT) and GPAs of 3.4-4.1. Notably, FSC is Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. and uses the Common Application, with a May 1 regular decision deadline. About 2,682 students enroll annually from an applicant pool of ~10,800, creating a moderately competitive but not cutthroat admissions environment.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
$37,928
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences$28,598
Psychology, General$27,494
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
FSC’s academic identity orbits around hands-on learning and career prep, with 70+ undergraduate programs spanning business (the most popular major at 16% of students), psychology (8%), and robust pre-health tracks. The college punches above its weight in sciences—particularly exercise physiology and biology—while also nurturing standout theatre and arts programs. Small class sizes are the norm, fostering close faculty relationships, and the curriculum emphasizes internships and undergraduate research. The Princeton Review highlights FSC’s ‘highly successful’ pre-medical and pre-professional pipelines, with alumni often progressing to top graduate programs.
Life at FSC unfolds on a lush, walkable campus where 81% of students live on-site, creating a residential bubble of Southern charm and constant activity. With 100+ clubs, a ‘strong Greek life presence’ (per Niche), and DII athletics, there’s no shortage of ways to get involved. The Office of Student Life orchestrates everything from leadership retreats to wellness programs, while Lakeland’s lakeside locale offers kayaking and downtown excursions. Students describe a ‘tight-knit community’ where professors know your name and campus events—like the ‘Southern Select’ open houses—showcase FSC’s blend of academic rigor and Floridian leisure.
FSC’s career services deliver jaw-dropping results: 97.8% of the Class of 2022 secured employment or grad school admission within six months, with a 98.6% overall placement rate. Median early-career earnings hover around $36,427, climbing to $45,000-$52,000 for business and STEM graduates. The six-year graduation rate sits at 67.5%—solid for a regional college—and alumni networks are particularly strong in Florida’s healthcare, education, and entrepreneurial sectors. Pre-professional tracks shine, with many science majors progressing directly to medical or dental schools.
At $63,200 total annual cost, FSC isn’t cheap—but 99% of first-years receive aid, with the average package slashing the Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. to $30,462. The college distributes $100+ million in aid yearly, including $66+ million in institutional scholarships. Merit awards are plentiful for students with GPAs above 3.4, and the Net Price Calculator helps families forecast costs. While the sticker price aligns with private peers, FSC’s aggressive aid strategy makes it surprisingly accessible for mid-tier achievers.
Florida Southern carves its niche by merging Methodist roots with Floridian flair—think chapel bells and palm trees—plus an almost vocational focus on employability. Its crown jewel? The world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, including the iconic Annie Pfeiffer Chapel. But beyond aesthetics, FSC excels at turning B+ students into A+ professionals, with pre-health and business pipelines that rival larger universities. The vibe is ‘ambitious but laid-back,’ where students grind in labs by day and paddleboard on Lake Hollingsworth by sunset. For those seeking small classes, guaranteed internships, and a near-guaranteed job offer—all under the Florida sun—few colleges deliver like FSC.
Florida Southern College logo · sourceFlorida Southern College - Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation · sourceFLUMC - Campus Maps · sourceFlorida Southern College (FSC) - The Princeton Review College Rankings & Reviews · source
