FSCJ vs. GCSC

Comparable Facts

Compare Florida State College at Jacksonville in Jacksonville, FL with Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, FL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Florida State College at Jacksonville is larger than GCSC based on total student enrollment (23,556 students vs. 5,426 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Florida State College at Jacksonville is located in Jacksonville, FL (Large City setting); Gulf Coast State College is in Panama City, FL (Small City setting).
• Florida State College at Jacksonville is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Gulf Coast State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Florida State College at Jacksonville 27:1; Gulf Coast State College 22:1.

FSCJ vs. GCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FSCJ or GCSC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State College at Jacksonville than GCSC ($2,727 vs. $7,729).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State College at Jacksonville are 37% lower than at Gulf Coast State College ($8,496 vs. $13,482).
• Florida State College at Jacksonville is 21.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than GCSC (about $508 more per year; $2,878.00 vs. $2,370.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.7% higher at FSCJ than at Gulf Coast State College (about $1,357 more per year; $9,992.00 vs. $8,635.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Gulf Coast State College than at Florida State College at Jacksonville (91% vs. 65%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Gulf Coast State College students is 2.9% larger than aid received by Florida State College at Jacksonville students ($6,295 vs. $6,120).

FSCJ vs. GCSC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, FSCJ or GCSC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between GCSC and FSCJ.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: FSCJ - Open admission; GCSC - Open admission.

FSCJ vs. GCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for FSCJ and GCSC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Florida State College at Jacksonville earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than GCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,500 vs. $32,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Gulf Coast State College graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than FSCJ graduates ($9,000 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, GCSC graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than FSCJ graduates ($93 vs. $108).
• More GCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FSCJ students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 34%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.