FAU vs. Washington State

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

 FAU Washington State
Location Boca Raton, FL Pullman, WA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,790 26,490
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #678 #385
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $10,976
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $27,052
Room & Board $12,536 $13,131
Avg Net Price $9,839 $18,155
Avg Grant Aid $10,786 $10,370
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 87%

Admission

 FAU Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,612 26,166
Admitted 20,279 22,335
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 85.4%
Enrolled % 21.8% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/26
SAT Range 1040/1210 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

 FAU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 FAU Washington State
Graduation Rate 43% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $174 $211

Diversity

 FAU Washington State
% Men 9% 7%
% Women 12% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 63%
% Black 20% 3%
% Hispanic 26% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 FAU Washington State
% In-State 72% 83%
% Out-of-State 22% 15%

Campus

 FAU Washington 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 Atlantic University is larger than than Washington State based on total student enrollment (30,790 students vs. 26,490 students)

FAU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or Washington State?

  • Washington State University is 335.2% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($10,976.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.2% higher at Washington State than Florida Atlantic University ($27,052.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than Washington State ($9,839 vs. $18,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Atlantic University are 4.7% lower than costs at Washington State University ($12,536 vs. $13,131)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington State University than Florida Atlantic University (87% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Atlantic University students is 4% larger than aid received Washington State University ($10,786 vs. $10,370)

FAU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Atlantic University (1047) is 8 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming FAU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman FAU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Washington State (3.5)
  • Washington State has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than FAU (73.4%)

FAU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU or Washington 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 Washington State and FAU.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Florida Atlantic University (67% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $8,200 more per year than FAU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $46,200)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Washington State graduates. ($16,861 vs. $20,429)
  • FAU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Washington State graduates. ($174 vs. $211)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FAU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 54%)

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