FAU vs. FGCU

Should I go to Florida Atlantic University or Florida Gulf Coast University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if FAU or FGCU 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. Florida Gulf Coast University comparison
Florida Atlantic University Florida Gulf Coast University College 3 College 4
Florida Atlantic University Florida Gulf Coast University
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Overview

 FAU FGCU
Location Boca Raton, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 30,790 16,167
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #678 #799
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU FGCU
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $22,328
Room & Board $12,536 $10,914
Avg Net Price $9,839 $10,548
Avg Grant Aid $10,786 $7,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 64%

Admission

 FAU FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,612 16,050
Admitted 20,279 12,318
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 76.7%
Enrolled % 21.8% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/25
SAT Range 1040/1210 1040/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Nov 1, 2025

Academics

 FAU FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 FAU FGCU
Graduation Rate 43% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $174 $201

Diversity

 FAU FGCU
% Men 9% 4%
% Women 12% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 66%
% Black 20% 7%
% Hispanic 26% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 FAU FGCU
% In-State 72% 78%
% Out-of-State 22% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Atlantic University is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (30,790 students vs. 16,167 students)

FAU vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or FGCU?

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is 66.2% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($4,191.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.3% higher at FGCU than Florida Atlantic University ($22,328.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than FGCU ($9,839 vs. $10,548)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 14.9% lower than costs at Florida Atlantic University ($10,914 vs. $12,536)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Atlantic University than Florida Gulf Coast University (86% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Atlantic University students is 37.3% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($10,786 vs. $7,858)

FAU vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Gulf Coast University (1081) is 34 points higher than at FAU (1047)
  • Incoming FGCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at FAU (23)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at FAU (3.74)
  • FGCU has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than FAU (73.4%)

FAU vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU or FGCU? 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 FGCU and FAU.

  • The graduation rate at FGCU is higher than Florida Atlantic University (45% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida Atlantic University earn on average $1,000 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $45,200)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $2,639 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($16,861 vs. $19,500)
  • FAU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($174 vs. $201)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FAU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 54%)

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