FAU vs. Miami

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

 FAU Miami
Location Boca Raton, FL Coral Gables, FL
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,790 19,593
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #678 #51
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu miami.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU Miami
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $58,104
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $58,104
Room & Board $12,536 $21,580
Avg Net Price $9,839 $41,028
Avg Grant Aid $10,786 $36,720
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 77%

Admission

 FAU Miami
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,612 48,286
Admitted 20,279 8,940
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 18.5%
Enrolled % 21.8% 26%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 20/26 30/33
SAT Range 1040/1210 1330/1470
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 FAU Miami
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

 FAU Miami
Graduation Rate 43% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $19,846
Median Loan Payment $174 $205

Diversity

 FAU Miami
% Men 9% 15%
% Women 12% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 42%
% Black 20% 8%
% Hispanic 26% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 14%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 FAU Miami
% In-State 72% 26%
% Out-of-State 22% 66%

Campus

 FAU Miami
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 Miami based on total student enrollment (30,790 students vs. 19,593 students)

FAU vs. Miami Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or Miami?

  • University of Miami is 2,203.9% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($58,104.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 304.2% higher at Miami than Florida Atlantic University ($58,104.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than Miami ($9,839 vs. $41,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Atlantic University are 72.1% lower than costs at University of Miami ($12,536 vs. $21,580)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Atlantic University than University of Miami (86% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Miami students is 240.4% larger than aid received Florida Atlantic University ($36,720 vs. $10,786)

FAU vs. Miami Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Miami (1319) is 272 points higher than at FAU (1047)
  • Incoming Miami students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at FAU (23)
  • Accepted freshman FAU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Miami (3.7)
  • FAU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than Miami (18.5%)

FAU vs. Miami Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Miami is higher than Florida Atlantic University (78% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from University of Miami earn on average $24,000 more per year than FAU graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $46,200)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $2,985 lower median federal student loan debt than Miami graduates. ($16,861 vs. $19,846)
  • FAU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Miami graduates. ($174 vs. $205)
  • More Miami graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FAU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 54%)

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