FAU vs. Memphis

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

 FAU Memphis
Location Boca Raton, FL Memphis, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,790 21,736
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #678 #926
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu memphis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU Memphis
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $8,520
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $12,960
Room & Board $12,536 $10,344
Avg Net Price $9,839 $13,656
Avg Grant Aid $10,786 $11,234
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 93%

Admission

 FAU Memphis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,612 15,640
Admitted 20,279 14,605
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 93.4%
Enrolled % 21.8% 17.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 17/24
SAT Range 1040/1210 905/1205
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 FAU Memphis
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 FAU Memphis
Graduation Rate 43% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 37%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $25,250
Median Loan Payment $174 $261

Diversity

 FAU Memphis
% Men 9% 10%
% Women 12% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 50%
% Black 20% 37%
% Hispanic 26% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 FAU Memphis
% In-State 72% 80%
% Out-of-State 22% 17%

Campus

 FAU Memphis
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 Memphis based on total student enrollment (30,790 students vs. 21,736 students)

FAU vs. Memphis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or Memphis?

  • University of Memphis is 237.8% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($8,520.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.9% higher at FAU than University of Memphis ($14,374.00 vs. $12,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than Memphis ($9,839 vs. $13,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Memphis are 21.2% lower than costs at Florida Atlantic University ($10,344 vs. $12,536)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Memphis than Florida Atlantic University (93% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Memphis students is 4.2% larger than aid received Florida Atlantic University ($11,234 vs. $10,786)

FAU vs. Memphis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Atlantic University (1047) is 18 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming FAU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman FAU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Memphis (3.48)
  • Memphis has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than FAU (73.4%)

FAU vs. Memphis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at FAU is higher than University of Memphis (43% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Florida Atlantic University earn on average $4,000 more per year than Memphis graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $42,200)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $8,389 lower median federal student loan debt than Memphis graduates. ($16,861 vs. $25,250)
  • FAU graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than Memphis graduates. ($174 vs. $261)
  • More FAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 37%)

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