GCSC vs. St Petersburg College

Comparable Facts

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

St Petersburg College is larger than GCSC based on total student enrollment (23,936 students vs. 5,426 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Gulf Coast State College is located in Panama City, FL (Small City setting); St Petersburg College is in St. Petersburg, FL (Small City setting).
• Gulf Coast State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. St Petersburg College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Gulf Coast State College 22:1; St Petersburg College 25:1.

GCSC vs. St Petersburg College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GCSC or St Petersburg College? 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 St Petersburg College than GCSC ($2,333 vs. $7,729).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gulf Coast State College are 23.7% lower than at St Petersburg College ($13,482 vs. $17,680).
• St Petersburg College is 13.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than GCSC (about $312 more per year; $2,682.00 vs. $2,370.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.5% higher at St Petersburg College than at Gulf Coast State College (about $651 more per year; $9,286.00 vs. $8,635.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Gulf Coast State College than at St Petersburg College (91% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St Petersburg College students is 63.4% larger than aid received by Gulf Coast State College students ($10,285 vs. $6,295).

GCSC vs. St Petersburg College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, GCSC or St Petersburg College? 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 St Petersburg College and GCSC.

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

GCSC vs. St Petersburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for GCSC and St Petersburg College? 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 St Petersburg College earn a median of about $3,700 more per year than GCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,700 vs. $32,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Gulf Coast State College graduates have a $7,249 lower median loan debt than St Petersburg College graduates ($9,000 vs. $16,249).
• Among borrowers, GCSC graduates have an estimated $75 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St Petersburg College graduates ($93 vs. $168).
• More GCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St Petersburg College students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 30%)

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.