Florida State vs. Palm Beach Atlantic

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

Florida State Palm Beach Atlantic
Location Tallahassee, FL West Palm Beach, FL
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 44,161 3,828
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #199 #491
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fsu.edu pba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida State Palm Beach Atlantic
Tuition (In State) $4,022 $34,900
Tuition (Out of State) $16,540 $34,900
Room & Board $11,592 $11,690
Avg Net Price $14,003 $30,276
Avg Grant Aid $10,169 $22,749
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 99%

Admission

Florida State Palm Beach Atlantic
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 78,088 6,220
Admitted 19,552 5,888
Acceptance Rate 25% 94.7%
Enrolled % 30.9% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.36
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/31 19/26
SAT Range 1210/1370 1000/1240
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

Florida State Palm Beach Atlantic
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Florida State Palm Beach Atlantic
Graduation Rate 74% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,750 $22,704
Median Loan Payment $214 $234

Diversity

Florida State Palm Beach Atlantic
% Men 42% 36%
% Women 58% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 62%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 19% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Florida State Palm Beach Atlantic
% In-State 85% 46%
% Out-of-State 14% 51%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida State University is larger than than Palm Beach Atlantic based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 3,828 students)

Florida State vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida State or Palm Beach Atlantic?

  • Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach is 767.7% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($34,900.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 111% higher at Palm Beach Atlantic than Florida State University ($34,900.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than Palm Beach Atlantic ($14,003 vs. $30,276)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 0.8% lower than costs at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach ($11,592 vs. $11,690)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach than Florida State University (99% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach students is 123.7% larger than aid received Florida State University ($22,749 vs. $10,169)

Florida State vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 150 points higher than at Palm Beach Atlantic (1065)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (23)
  • Accepted freshman Florida State students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (3.36)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than Florida State (25%)

Florida State vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida State or Palm Beach Atlantic? 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 Palm Beach Atlantic and Florida State.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach (74% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $5,100 more per year than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $46,300)
  • Florida State University students graduate with a $1,954 lower median federal student loan debt than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates. ($20,750 vs. $22,704)
  • Florida State graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates. ($214 vs. $234)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach Atlantic students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 56%)

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