FIU vs. FGCU

Should I go to Florida International University or Florida Gulf Coast University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if FIU or FGCU 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 International University vs. Florida Gulf Coast University comparison
Florida International University Florida Gulf Coast University College 3 College 4
Florida International University Florida Gulf Coast University
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Overview

 FIU FGCU
Location Miami, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 53,953 16,167
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #628 #799
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fiu.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FIU FGCU
Tuition (In State) $4,721 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $16,529 $22,328
Room & Board $12,156 $10,914
Avg Net Price $10,742 $10,548
Avg Grant Aid $10,012 $7,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 64%

Admission

 FIU FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,034 16,050
Admitted 14,729 12,318
Acceptance Rate 58.8% 76.7%
Enrolled % 35.1% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 4.0
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/25
SAT Range 1060/1250 1040/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026 Nov 1, 2025

Academics

 FIU FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 FIU FGCU
Graduation Rate 43% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,228 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $178 $201

Diversity

 FIU FGCU
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 11% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 9% 66%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 67% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 FIU FGCU
% In-State 94% 78%
% Out-of-State 4% 19%

Campus

 FIU FGCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida International University is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (53,953 students vs. 16,167 students)

FIU vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FIU or FGCU?

  • Florida International University is 12.6% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($4,721.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.1% higher at FGCU than Florida International University ($22,328.00 vs. $16,529.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than FIU ($10,548 vs. $10,742)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 11.4% lower than costs at Florida International University ($10,914 vs. $12,156)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida International University than Florida Gulf Coast University (90% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida International University students is 27.4% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($10,012 vs. $7,858)

FIU vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida International University (1090) is 9 points higher than at FGCU (1081)
  • Incoming FIU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at FGCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman FIU students have at the same average high school GPA (4.0) as students at FGCU (4.0)
  • FGCU has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than FIU (58.8%)

FIU vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FIU or FGCU? 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 FGCU and FIU.

  • The graduation rate at FGCU is higher than Florida International University (45% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida International University earn on average $4,700 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($49,900 vs. $45,200)
  • Florida International University students graduate with a $2,272 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($17,228 vs. $19,500)
  • FIU graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($178 vs. $201)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FIU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 53%)

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