GCSC vs. SCF

Deciding between Gulf Coast State College and State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Gulf Coast State College
State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • GCSC Panama City, FL
  • SCF Bradenton, FL
  • Setting
  • GCSC Small City
  • SCF Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • GCSC 5,426
  • SCF 8,750
  • Type
  • GCSC Public 4 Year
  • SCF Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • GCSC
  • SCF
  • Religious Affiliation
  • GCSC -
  • SCF -
  • Status
  • GCSC Non-profit
  • SCF Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • GCSC
  • SCF

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • GCSC $2,370
  • SCF $3,074
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • GCSC $8,635
  • SCF $11,595
  • Room & Board
  • GCSC $13,482
  • SCF $26,718
  • Average Net Price
  • GCSC $7,729
  • SCF $22,034
  • Average Grant Aid
  • GCSC $6,295
  • SCF $6,668
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • GCSC 91%
  • SCF 61%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • GCSC -
  • SCF -
  • Admitted
  • GCSC -
  • SCF -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • GCSC Open
  • SCF Open
  • Enrolled
  • GCSC Open
  • SCF Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • GCSC
  • SCF
  • Typical ACT score
  • GCSC
  • SCF
  • Average High School GPA
  • GCSC -
  • SCF 3.1
  • Typical High School Grades
  • GCSC -
  • SCF B
  • Admissions Standards
  • GCSC Unavailable
  • SCF Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • GCSC
  • SCF
  • ACT Range
  • GCSC
  • SCF
  • SAT Range
  • GCSC
  • SCF
  • Submit Test Scores
  • GCSC Open admission
  • SCF Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • GCSC
  • SCF

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • GCSC 22:1
  • SCF 23:1
  • Popular Majors
  • GCSC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (51%)
    • Health Professions (23%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
    • Education (3%)
    • Work and Family Studies (1%)
  • SCF
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (76%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Education (2%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (2%)
    • Legal Professions (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • GCSC -
  • SCF -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • GCSC $32,000
  • SCF $33,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • GCSC 39%
  • SCF 35%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • GCSC $9,000
  • SCF $8,610
  • Median Loan Payment
  • GCSC $93
  • SCF $89

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • GCSC 35%
  • SCF 36%
  • % Women
  • GCSC 65%
  • SCF 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • GCSC Medium
  • SCF Medium
  • HBCU
  • GCSC No
  • SCF No
  • % White
  • GCSC 72%
  • SCF 66%
  • % Asian
  • GCSC 3%
  • SCF 2%
  • % Black
  • GCSC 11%
  • SCF 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • GCSC 6%
  • SCF 15%
  • % Native American
  • GCSC 1%
  • SCF 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • GCSC 0%
  • SCF 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • GCSC 4%
  • SCF 2%
  • % International
  • GCSC 0%
  • SCF 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • GCSC 3%
  • SCF 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • GCSC 95%
  • SCF 100%
  • % Out-of-State
  • GCSC 5%
  • SCF 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • GCSC No
  • SCF No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • GCSC No
  • SCF No
  • Meal Plan
  • GCSC No
  • SCF No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • GCSC Yes
  • SCF No
  • Daycare Facility
  • GCSC No
  • SCF No

Comparable Facts

Compare Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, FL with State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota in Bradenton, FL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is larger than GCSC based on total student enrollment (8,750 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); State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is in Bradenton, FL (Large Suburban setting).
  • Gulf Coast State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Gulf Coast State College 22:1; State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota 23:1.

GCSC vs. SCF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GCSC or SCF? 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 Gulf Coast State College than SCF ($7,729 vs. $22,034).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gulf Coast State College are 49.5% lower than at State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota ($13,482 vs. $26,718).
  • State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is 29.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than GCSC (about $704 more per year; $3,074.00 vs. $2,370.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 34.3% higher at SCF than at Gulf Coast State College (about $2,960 more per year; $11,595.00 vs. $8,635.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Gulf Coast State College than at State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota (91% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota students is 5.9% larger than aid received by Gulf Coast State College students ($6,668 vs. $6,295).

GCSC vs. SCF Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, GCSC or SCF? 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 SCF 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; SCF - Open admission.

GCSC vs. SCF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for GCSC and SCF? 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 State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than GCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,700 vs. $32,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota graduates have a $390 lower median loan debt than GCSC graduates ($8,610 vs. $9,000).
  • Among borrowers, SCF graduates have an estimated $4 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than GCSC graduates ($89 vs. $93).
  • More GCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCF students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 35%)

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.