Florida State vs. FGCU

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

 Florida State FGCU
Location Tallahassee, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 43,234 16,167
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #199 #799
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fsu.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Florida State FGCU
Tuition (In State) $4,022 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $16,540 $22,328
Room & Board $12,740 $10,914
Avg Net Price $14,903 $10,548
Avg Grant Aid $8,731 $7,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 64%

Admission

 Florida State FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,038 16,050
Admitted 18,793 12,318
Acceptance Rate 25.4% 76.7%
Enrolled % 31.3% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 27/31 20/25
SAT Range 1240/1390 1040/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2026 Nov 1, 2025

Academics

 Florida State FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Florida State FGCU
Graduation Rate 74% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,750 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $214 $201

Diversity

 Florida State FGCU
% Men 10% 4%
% Women 16% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 66%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 19% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Florida State FGCU
% In-State 83% 78%
% Out-of-State 16% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida State University is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (43,234 students vs. 16,167 students)

Florida State vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida State or FGCU?

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($4,191.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35% higher at FGCU than Florida State University ($22,328.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than Florida State ($10,548 vs. $14,903)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 16.7% lower than costs at Florida State University ($10,914 vs. $12,740)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than Florida Gulf Coast University (86% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida State University students is 11.1% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($8,731 vs. $7,858)

Florida State vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 134 points higher than at FGCU (1081)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at FGCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • FGCU has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than Florida State (25.4%)

Florida State vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida State 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 Florida State.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than Florida Gulf Coast University (74% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $6,200 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $45,200)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,750)
  • FGCU graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($201 vs. $214)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FGCU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 59%)

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