FIU vs. Florida State

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

 FIU Florida State
Location Miami, FL Tallahassee, FL
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 53,953 43,234
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #628 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fiu.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FIU Florida State
Tuition (In State) $4,721 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $16,529 $16,540
Room & Board $12,156 $12,740
Avg Net Price $10,742 $14,903
Avg Grant Aid $10,012 $8,731
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 86%

Admission

 FIU Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,034 74,038
Admitted 14,729 18,793
Acceptance Rate 58.8% 25.4%
Enrolled % 35.1% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.7
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Very High
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 20/26 27/31
SAT Range 1060/1250 1240/1390
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 FIU Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 FIU Florida State
Graduation Rate 43% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,228 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $178 $214

Diversity

 FIU Florida State
% Men 7% 10%
% Women 11% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 9% 64%
% Black 12% 8%
% Hispanic 67% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 FIU Florida State
% In-State 94% 83%
% Out-of-State 4% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida International University is larger than than Florida State based on total student enrollment (53,953 students vs. 43,234 students)

FIU vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FIU or Florida State?

  • Florida International University is 17.4% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($4,721.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at Florida State than Florida International University ($16,540.00 vs. $16,529.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida International University than Florida State ($10,742 vs. $14,903)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida International University are 4.8% lower than costs at Florida State University ($12,156 vs. $12,740)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida International University than Florida State University (90% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida International University students is 14.7% larger than aid received Florida State University ($10,012 vs. $8,731)

FIU vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 125 points higher than at FIU (1090)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at FIU (24)
  • Accepted freshman FIU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • FIU has a higher acceptance rate (58.8%) than Florida State (25.4%)

FIU vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FIU or Florida 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 Florida State and FIU.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than Florida International University (74% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $1,500 more per year than FIU graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $49,900)
  • Florida International University students graduate with a $3,522 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($17,228 vs. $20,750)
  • FIU graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($178 vs. $214)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FIU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 53%)

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