Florence-Darlington Technical College vs Southwest Tennessee Community College: Softball Program Comparison

Two JUCO programs. Florence-Darlington Technical College lists $10,978 less in out-of-state tuition; Florence-Darlington Technical College graduates 1 point more of its students.

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean Florence-Darlington Technical College if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Florence-Darlington Technical College graduates 1 percentage points more of its students than Southwest Tennessee Community College.

Lean Southwest Tennessee Community College if…

  • You would be in-state: Southwest Tennessee Community College is $350 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Florence-Darlington Technical College.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Southwest Tennessee Community College graduates earn about $1,323 more per year a decade after enrolling.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: Florence-Darlington Technical College compared with Southwest Tennessee Community College
MeasureFlorence-Darlington Technical CollegeSouthwest Tennessee Community College
In-state tuition & fees$4,900$4,550 Southwest Tennessee Community College leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees$6,772 Florence-Darlington Technical College leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition$17,750

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: Florence-Darlington Technical College compared with Southwest Tennessee Community College
MeasureFlorence-Darlington Technical CollegeSouthwest Tennessee Community College
Graduation rate20% Florence-Darlington Technical College leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree19%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$32,748/yr$34,071/yr Southwest Tennessee Community College leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out
Median debt at graduation$12,250
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.37%

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Florence-Darlington Technical College compared with Southwest Tennessee Community College
MeasureFlorence-Darlington Technical CollegeSouthwest Tennessee Community College
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.3,5216,980
Where it isFlorence, SCMemphis, TN

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: Florence-Darlington Technical College compared with Southwest Tennessee Community College
MeasureFlorence-Darlington Technical CollegeSouthwest Tennessee Community College
ConferenceRegion 10TCCAA
Head coachMadison RaganKeith Gentry

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: Florence-Darlington Technical College compared with Southwest Tennessee Community College
MeasureFlorence-Darlington Technical CollegeSouthwest Tennessee Community College
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes
Program on X / InstagramYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

How JUCO softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Southwest Tennessee Community College

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Florence-Darlington Technical College vs Southwest Tennessee Community College: common questions

Which school graduates more of its students, Florence-Darlington Technical College or Southwest Tennessee Community College?
Florence-Darlington Technical College, at 20% against 19% at Southwest Tennessee Community College (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Florence-Darlington Technical College and Southwest Tennessee Community College offer softball scholarships?
Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
How do I contact the coaches at Florence-Darlington Technical College and Southwest Tennessee Community College?
Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for Florence-Darlington Technical College and Southwest Tennessee Community College accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

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