FAU vs. Florida State

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

 FAU Florida State
Location Boca Raton, FL Tallahassee, FL
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,592 44,161
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #738 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU Florida State
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $16,540
Room & Board $12,536 $11,592
Avg Net Price $9,711 $14,003
Avg Grant Aid $10,334 $10,169
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 89%

Admission

 FAU Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,268 78,088
Admitted 19,734 19,552
Acceptance Rate 81.3% 25%
Enrolled % 22.1% 30.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Easy Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 20/25 26/31
SAT Range 1020/1200 1210/1370
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 FAU Florida State
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%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 FAU Florida State
Graduation Rate 43% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $174 $214

Diversity

 FAU Florida State
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 64%
% Black 20% 8%
% Hispanic 26% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 FAU Florida State
% In-State 72% 85%
% Out-of-State 22% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida State University is larger than than FAU based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 29,592 students)

FAU vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or Florida State?

  • Florida State University is 59.5% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($4,022.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.1% higher at Florida State than Florida Atlantic University ($16,540.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than Florida State ($9,711 vs. $14,003)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 8.1% lower than costs at Florida Atlantic University ($11,592 vs. $12,536)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than Florida Atlantic University (89% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Atlantic University students is 1.6% larger than aid received Florida State University ($10,334 vs. $10,169)

FAU vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 168 points higher than at FAU (1047)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at FAU (23)
  • Accepted freshman FAU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • FAU has a higher acceptance rate (81.3%) than Florida State (25%)

FAU vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU or Florida State? 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 Florida State and FAU.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than Florida Atlantic University (74% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $5,200 more per year than FAU graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $46,200)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $3,889 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($16,861 vs. $20,750)
  • FAU graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($174 vs. $214)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FAU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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