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Florida SouthWestern State College

Public Fort Myers, FL · Suburban · Southeast · 80% data
A- Value A- Affordability B+ Diversity
Graduation Rate
39% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$43,421 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$7,247 A-
58% less than the typical college
Enrollment
11,052
Earnings +6% vs avg
Graduation -32% vs avg
Net Price +-58% vs avg

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 36.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $36.3 over 20 years.

36.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $36.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,023,223.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduation of 39% — 32% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $36.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Florida SouthWestern State College

Florida SouthWestern State College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
11,052
Setting
Suburban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice

Why students choose Florida SouthWestern State College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 33% overall
C+
Earnings
$43,421 median
A-
Value
6.0× net price
A-
Affordability
$7,247/yr net
D
Graduation
39% graduate
B+
Diversity
0.72 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Over 11,000 students choose Florida SouthWestern State College, making it a significant player in the Fort Myers area. With a net price of $7,247, it stands as an affordable option for many. This financial accessibility allows students to invest in their education without the burden of crippling debt.

According to the Chetty/Opportunity Insights data, Florida SouthWestern State College has a graduation rate of 39%. While exact mobility rates are unavailable, the college serves a diverse student body, including a 35% Pell Grant rate, indicating a commitment to supporting low-income students. Graduates can expect to earn an average of $43,421 within ten years of finishing their studies, reflecting a decent return on investment.

Students thrive here when they focus on programs such as Humanities, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing, and Criminal Justice. The median debt for graduates is $8,000, allowing many to graduate with manageable financial obligations. This college is particularly suitable for those looking for a supportive environment that prioritizes affordability and career preparation.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Florida SouthWestern State College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Florida SouthWestern State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Florida SouthWestern State College, located in Fort Myers, Florida, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.

Full-Time Faculty
28%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,052
Student–Faculty Ratio
27:1
Diversity Index
0.72
First-Gen Students
50%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Florida SouthWestern State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Florida SouthWestern State College is $12,979, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $7,247. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,011 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,401
Out-of-State
$12,979
Avg Net Price
$7,247
Median Debt
$8,000
Pell Grant Rate
35%
Federal Loan Rate
11%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$6,011
Family Income $30K–$48K
$6,484
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,516
Family Income $110K+
$13,337

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Florida SouthWestern State College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Florida SouthWestern State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Florida SouthWestern State College report median earnings of $43,421, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$37,028
8 Years
$40,497
10 Years
$43,421
Debt-to-Earnings
0.18x
Earning > $25K
56%

Earnings Trajectory

$37,028 6yr $40,497 8yr $43,421 10yr

How Florida Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation39%Earnings 10yr$43KNet Price$7KMedian Debt$8KPell Grant Rate35%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$6K$0-30K$6K$30-48K$9K$48-75K$13K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is Florida SouthWestern State College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Florida SouthWestern State College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,247/year ($28,988 total). Graduates earn $43,421 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,052,211 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,023,223 (36.3× your investment). The median debt is $8,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 39% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$28,988
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,052,211
Net Return
$1,023,223
ROI Multiple
36.3×
Cost Per Year
$7,247
Median Debt
$8,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
39%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Florida SouthWestern State College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Florida SouthWestern State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.92, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.92
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.0%
Support Ratio
0.96
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$1,198,891
Investment Income
$179,103

Top Programs

The fields Florida SouthWestern State College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Florida SouthWestern State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Florida SouthWestern State College, located in Fort Myers, Florida, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Florida SouthWestern State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Florida SouthWestern State College is $12,979, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $7,247. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,011 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.

Is Florida SouthWestern State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Florida SouthWestern State College report median earnings of $43,421, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is Florida SouthWestern State College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Florida SouthWestern State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.92, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Florida SouthWestern State College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys