FAU vs. BGSU

Should I go to Florida Atlantic University or Bowling Green State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if FAU or BGSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Florida Atlantic University vs. Bowling Green State University Main Campus comparison
Florida Atlantic University Bowling Green State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Florida Atlantic University Bowling Green State University Main Campus
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Overview

 FAU BGSU
Location Boca Raton, FL Bowling Green, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 29,592 16,920
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #738 #728
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU BGSU
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $11,272
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $19,845
Room & Board $12,536 $12,584
Avg Net Price $9,711 $20,485
Avg Grant Aid $10,334 $8,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 95%

Admission

 FAU BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,268 17,447
Admitted 19,734 13,723
Acceptance Rate 81.3% 78.7%
Enrolled % 22.1% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.6
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 20/25
SAT Range 1020/1200 990/1200
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 FAU BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 FAU BGSU
Graduation Rate 43% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $174 $268

Diversity

 FAU BGSU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 78%
% Black 20% 10%
% Hispanic 26% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 FAU BGSU
% In-State 72% 88%
% Out-of-State 22% 11%

Campus

 FAU BGSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Atlantic University is larger than than BGSU based on total student enrollment (29,592 students vs. 16,920 students)

FAU vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or BGSU?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 346.9% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($11,272.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.1% higher at BGSU than Florida Atlantic University ($19,845.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than BGSU ($9,711 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Atlantic University are 0.4% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($12,536 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than Florida Atlantic University (95% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Atlantic University students is 16.1% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,334 vs. $8,898)

FAU vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, FAU or BGSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BGSU or FAU .

  • The average SAT score at Florida Atlantic University (1047) is 35 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming FAU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman FAU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • FAU has a higher acceptance rate (81.3%) than BGSU (78.7%)

FAU vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU or BGSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between BGSU and FAU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Florida Atlantic University (58% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida Atlantic University earn on average $2,600 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $43,600)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $9,139 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($16,861 vs. $26,000)
  • FAU graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($174 vs. $268)
  • More FAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/