Florida State vs. The University of West Florida

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

Florida State The University of West Florida
Location Tallahassee, FL Pensacola, FL
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 44,161 13,521
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #199 #727
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fsu.edu uwf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida State The University of West Florida
Tuition (In State) $4,022 $4,319
Tuition (Out of State) $16,540 $16,587
Room & Board $11,592 $11,268
Avg Net Price $14,003 $8,609
Avg Grant Aid $10,169 $11,515
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 84%

Admission

Florida State The University of West Florida
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 78,088 9,113
Admitted 19,552 4,377
Acceptance Rate 25% 48%
Enrolled % 30.9% 27%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.6
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/31 21/27
SAT Range 1210/1370 1050/1230
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Florida State The University of West Florida
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Florida State The University of West Florida
Graduation Rate 74% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,750 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $214 $193

Diversity

Florida State The University of West Florida
% Men 42% 38%
% Women 58% 62%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 65%
% Black 8% 13%
% Hispanic 19% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Florida State The University of West Florida
% In-State 85% 66%
% Out-of-State 14% 11%

Campus

Florida State The University of West Florida
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 The University of West Florida based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 13,521 students)

Florida State vs. The University of West Florida Cost Comparison

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

  • The University of West Florida is 7.4% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($4,319.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at The University of West Florida than Florida State University ($16,587.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of West Florida than Florida State ($8,609 vs. $14,003)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of West Florida are 2.9% lower than costs at Florida State University ($11,268 vs. $11,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State 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 13.2% larger than aid received Florida State University ($11,515 vs. $10,169)

Florida State vs. The University of West Florida Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Florida State 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 Florida State .

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 162 points higher than at The University of West Florida (1053)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at The University of West Florida (23)
  • Accepted freshman Florida State students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at The University of West Florida (3.6)
  • The University of West Florida has a higher acceptance rate (48%) than Florida State (25%)

Florida State vs. The University of West Florida Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida State 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 Florida State.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than The University of West Florida (74% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $10,200 more per year than The University of West Florida graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $41,200)
  • The University of West Florida students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($18,750 vs. $20,750)
  • The University of West Florida graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($193 vs. $214)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The University of West Florida students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 55%)

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