FIU vs. The University of West Florida

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

FIU The University of West Florida
Location Miami, FL Pensacola, FL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 55,609 13,521
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #622 #727
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fiu.edu uwf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

FIU The University of West Florida
Tuition (In State) $4,721 $4,319
Tuition (Out of State) $16,529 $16,587
Room & Board $11,600 $11,268
Avg Net Price $9,881 $8,609
Avg Grant Aid $11,087 $11,515
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 84%

Admission

FIU The University of West Florida
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,343 9,113
Admitted 11,075 4,377
Acceptance Rate 63.9% 48%
Enrolled % 39.9% 27%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.6
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/26 21/27
SAT Range 1060/1250 1050/1230
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

FIU The University of West Florida
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

FIU The University of West Florida
Graduation Rate 43% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,228 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $178 $193

Diversity

FIU The University of West Florida
% Men 43% 38%
% Women 57% 62%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 9% 65%
% Black 12% 13%
% Hispanic 67% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

FIU The University of West Florida
% In-State 94% 66%
% Out-of-State 4% 11%

Campus

FIU The University of West Florida
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 The University of West Florida based on total student enrollment (55,609 students vs. 13,521 students)

FIU vs. The University of West Florida Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FIU or The University of West Florida?

  • Florida International University is 9.3% more expensive to attend than The University of West Florida for in-state tuition ($4,721.00 vs. $4,319.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.4% higher at The University of West Florida than Florida International University ($16,587.00 vs. $16,529.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of West Florida than FIU ($8,609 vs. $9,881)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of West Florida are 2.9% lower than costs at Florida International University ($11,268 vs. $11,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida International University than The University of West Florida (89% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of West Florida students is 3.9% larger than aid received Florida International University ($11,515 vs. $11,087)

FIU vs. The University of West Florida Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida International University (1090) is 37 points higher than at The University of West Florida (1053)
  • Incoming FIU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at The University of West Florida (23)
  • Accepted freshman FIU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at The University of West Florida (3.6)
  • FIU has a higher acceptance rate (63.9%) than The University of West Florida (48%)

FIU vs. The University of West Florida Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FIU or The University of West Florida? 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 The University of West Florida and FIU.

  • The graduation rate at The University of West Florida is higher than Florida International University (48% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida International University earn on average $8,700 more per year than The University of West Florida graduates after ten years. ($49,900 vs. $41,200)
  • Florida International University students graduate with a $1,522 lower median federal student loan debt than The University of West Florida graduates. ($17,228 vs. $18,750)
  • FIU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than The University of West Florida graduates. ($178 vs. $193)
  • More The University of West Florida graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FIU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 53%)

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