Northwest Florida State College vs. FGCU

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

 Northwest Florida State College FGCU
Location Niceville, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,160 16,167
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #799
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwfsc.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwest Florida State College FGCU
Tuition (In State) $2,496 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $9,425 $22,328
Room & Board $8,930 $10,914
Avg Net Price $6,339 $10,548
Avg Grant Aid $6,219 $7,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 64%

Admission

 Northwest Florida State College 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

 Northwest Florida State College FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (59%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Northwest Florida State College FGCU
Graduation Rate - 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,400 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $4,370 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $45 $201

Diversity

 Northwest Florida State College FGCU
% Men 16% 4%
% Women 23% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 69% 66%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Northwest Florida State College FGCU
% In-State 94% 78%
% Out-of-State 5% 19%

Campus

 Northwest Florida State College FGCU
Campus Housing No 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

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is larger than than Northwest Florida State College based on total student enrollment (16,167 students vs. 5,160 students)

Northwest Florida State College vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwest Florida State College or FGCU?

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is 67.9% more expensive to attend than Northwest Florida State College for in-state tuition ($4,191.00 vs. $2,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.9% higher at FGCU than Northwest Florida State College ($22,328.00 vs. $9,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwest Florida State College than FGCU ($6,339 vs. $10,548)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest Florida State College are 22.2% lower than costs at Florida Gulf Coast University ($8,930 vs. $10,914)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwest Florida State College than Florida Gulf Coast University (76% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Gulf Coast University students is 26.4% larger than aid received Northwest Florida State College ($7,858 vs. $6,219)

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

Northwest Florida State College vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwest Florida State College 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 Northwest Florida State College.

  • Graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University earn on average $12,800 more per year than Northwest Florida State College graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $32,400)
  • Northwest Florida State College students graduate with a $15,130 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($4,370 vs. $19,500)
  • Northwest Florida State College graduates are paying $156 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($45 vs. $201)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwest Florida State College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 46%)

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