GCSC vs. Shorter

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

GCSC Shorter
Location Panama City, FL Rome, GA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 4,959 1,447
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #977
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gulfcoast.edu shorter.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

GCSC Shorter
Tuition (In State) $1,750 $23,514
Tuition (Out of State) $7,065 $23,514
Room & Board $13,482 $9,784
Avg Net Price $6,525 $16,692
Avg Grant Aid $6,163 $18,168
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 100%

Admission

GCSC Shorter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 783
Admitted - 759
Acceptance Rate Open 96.9%
Enrolled % Open 35.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.25
Typical High School Grades - B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23
SAT Range 900/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 25, 2026

Academics

GCSC Shorter
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (51%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Education (3%)
  • Work and Family Studies (1%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

GCSC Shorter
Graduation Rate - 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,000 $49,300
Making Student Loan Payments 39% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,000 $28,418
Median Loan Payment $93 $293

Diversity

GCSC Shorter
% Men 10% 4%
% Women 17% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 62%
% Black 11% 24%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

GCSC Shorter
% In-State 94% 81%
% Out-of-State 6% 16%

Campus

GCSC Shorter
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Gulf Coast State College is larger than than Shorter based on total student enrollment (4,959 students vs. 1,447 students)

GCSC vs. Shorter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GCSC or Shorter?

  • Shorter University is 1,243.7% more expensive to attend than GCSC for in-state tuition ($23,514.00 vs. $1,750.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 232.8% higher at Shorter than Gulf Coast State College ($23,514.00 vs. $7,065.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Gulf Coast State College than Shorter ($6,525 vs. $16,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 37.8% lower than costs at Gulf Coast State College ($9,784 vs. $13,482)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Gulf Coast State College (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 194.8% larger than aid received Gulf Coast State College ($18,168 vs. $6,163)

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

GCSC vs. Shorter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GCSC or Shorter? 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 Shorter and GCSC.

  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $17,300 more per year than GCSC graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $32,000)
  • Gulf Coast State College students graduate with a $19,418 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($9,000 vs. $28,418)
  • GCSC graduates are paying $200 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($93 vs. $293)
  • More GCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 38%)

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