FAU vs. Palm Beach State College

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

 FAU Palm Beach State College
Location Boca Raton, FL Lake Worth, FL
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 29,592 24,223
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #738
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu palmbeachstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU Palm Beach State College
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $3,030
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $10,890
Room & Board $12,536 $12,825
Avg Net Price $9,711 $10,549
Avg Grant Aid $10,334 $5,996
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 91%

Admission

 FAU Palm Beach State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,268 -
Admitted 19,734 -
Acceptance Rate 81.3% Open
Enrolled % 22.1% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.74 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 1020/1200
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Aug 20, 2025

Academics

 FAU Palm Beach State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 27:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 FAU Palm Beach State College
Graduation Rate 43% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $36,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $5,750
Median Loan Payment $174 $59

Diversity

 FAU Palm Beach State College
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 35%
% Black 20% 25%
% Hispanic 26% 28%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 FAU Palm Beach State College
% In-State 72% 98%
% Out-of-State 22% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Atlantic University is larger than than Palm Beach State College based on total student enrollment (29,592 students vs. 24,223 students)

FAU vs. Palm Beach State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or Palm Beach State College?

  • Palm Beach State College is 20.1% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($3,030.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32% higher at FAU than Palm Beach State College ($14,374.00 vs. $10,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than Palm Beach State College ($9,711 vs. $10,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Atlantic University are 2.3% lower than costs at Palm Beach State College ($12,536 vs. $12,825)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palm Beach State College than Florida Atlantic University (91% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Atlantic University students is 72.3% larger than aid received Palm Beach State College ($10,334 vs. $5,996)

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

FAU vs. Palm Beach State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU or Palm Beach State College? 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 Palm Beach State College and FAU.

  • Graduates from Florida Atlantic University earn on average $10,200 more per year than Palm Beach State College graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $36,000)
  • Palm Beach State College students graduate with a $11,111 lower median federal student loan debt than FAU graduates. ($5,750 vs. $16,861)
  • Palm Beach State College graduates are paying $115 less per month on federal student loans than FAU graduates. ($59 vs. $174)
  • More FAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach State College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 38%)

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