ISU vs. FGCU

Should I go to Illinois State University or Florida Gulf Coast University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU 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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FAU Northern Illinois Illinois UCF USF Main Campus UIC Florida State University of South Florida St. Petersburg DePaul UT UNF EIU
Illinois State University vs. Florida Gulf Coast University comparison
Illinois State University Florida Gulf Coast University College 3 College 4
Illinois State University Florida Gulf Coast University
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Overview

 ISU FGCU
Location Normal, IL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 20,683 15,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU FGCU
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $22,328
Room & Board $10,602 $9,772
Avg Net Price $20,551 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 72%

Admission

 ISU FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 15,657
Admitted 16,899 11,647
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 74.4%
Enrolled % 23.6% 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 20/25
SAT Range 1000/1210 1040/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025 Nov 1, 2024

Academics

 ISU FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 ISU FGCU
Graduation Rate 71% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $201

Diversity

 ISU FGCU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 66%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 ISU FGCU
% In-State 96% 75%
% Out-of-State 3% 22%

Campus

 ISU FGCU
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

  • Illinois State University is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 15,969 students)

ISU vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or FGCU?

  • Illinois State University is 182.5% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.1% higher at ISU than Florida Gulf Coast University ($23,681.00 vs. $22,328.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than ISU ($10,834 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 8.5% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($9,772 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Florida Gulf Coast University (97% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 59.9% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($11,619 vs. $7,268)

ISU vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 9 points higher than at FGCU (1081)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at FGCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than FGCU (74.4%)

ISU vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Florida Gulf Coast University (71% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $3,800 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $45,200)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,000)
  • FGCU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($201 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FGCU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 59%)

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