HCC vs. FGCU

Should I go to Hillsborough Community College or Florida Gulf Coast University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if HCC or FGCU 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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Hillsborough Community College vs. Florida Gulf Coast University comparison
Hillsborough Community College Florida Gulf Coast University College 3 College 4
Hillsborough Community College Florida Gulf Coast University
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Overview

 HCC FGCU
Location Tampa, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 20,004 16,167
Type Public 2 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #799
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hccfl.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 HCC FGCU
Tuition (In State) $1,931 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $7,728 $22,328
Room & Board $9,662 $10,914
Avg Net Price $4,387 $10,548
Avg Grant Aid $6,419 $7,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 64%

Admission

 HCC FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 16,050
Admitted - 12,318
Acceptance Rate Open 76.7%
Enrolled % Open 22.5%
Avg High School GPA - 4.0
Typical High School Grades - A/A+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 1040/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 1, 2025

Academics

 HCC FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (52%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Education (4%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 HCC FGCU
Graduation Rate - 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,600 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 34% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $98 $201

Diversity

 HCC FGCU
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 0% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 35% 66%
% Black 18% 7%
% Hispanic 26% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 11% 1%

Students

 HCC FGCU
% In-State 98% 78%
% Out-of-State 1% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Hillsborough Community College is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (20,004 students vs. 16,167 students)

HCC vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC or FGCU?

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is 117% more expensive to attend than HCC for in-state tuition ($4,191.00 vs. $1,931.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 188.9% higher at FGCU than Hillsborough Community College ($22,328.00 vs. $7,728.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hillsborough Community College than FGCU ($4,387 vs. $10,548)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hillsborough Community College are 13% lower than costs at Florida Gulf Coast University ($9,662 vs. $10,914)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Hillsborough Community College as Florida Gulf Coast University (64% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Gulf Coast University students is 22.4% larger than aid received Hillsborough Community College ($7,858 vs. $6,419)

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

HCC vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HCC or FGCU? 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 FGCU and HCC.

  • Graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University earn on average $9,600 more per year than HCC graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $35,600)
  • Hillsborough Community College students graduate with a $10,000 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($9,500 vs. $19,500)
  • HCC graduates are paying $103 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($98 vs. $201)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 34%)

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