Nova vs. FGCU

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

 Nova FGCU
Location Fort Lauderdale, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 20,948 15,969
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #437 #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nova.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Nova FGCU
Tuition (In State) $34,500 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $34,500 $22,328
Room & Board $14,588 $9,772
Avg Net Price $29,589 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $23,958 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 72%

Admission

 Nova FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,789 15,657
Admitted 12,726 11,647
Acceptance Rate 75.8% 74.4%
Enrolled % 15.5% 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.99 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 20/25
SAT Range 1040/1310 1040/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 1, 2024

Academics

 Nova FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Nova FGCU
Graduation Rate 43% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,300 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,100 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $259 $201

Diversity

 Nova FGCU
% Men 28% 42%
% Women 72% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 31% 66%
% Black 18% 7%
% Hispanic 32% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Nova FGCU
% In-State 56% 75%
% Out-of-State 39% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Nova Southeastern University is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (20,948 students vs. 15,969 students)

Nova vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Nova or FGCU?

  • Nova Southeastern University is 723.2% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($34,500.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.5% higher at Nova than Florida Gulf Coast University ($34,500.00 vs. $22,328.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than Nova ($10,834 vs. $29,589)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 49.3% lower than costs at Nova Southeastern University ($9,772 vs. $14,588)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Nova Southeastern University than Florida Gulf Coast University (100% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nova Southeastern University students is 229.6% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($23,958 vs. $7,268)

Nova vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Nova Southeastern University (1130) is 49 points higher than at FGCU (1081)
  • Incoming Nova students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at FGCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Nova (3.99)
  • Nova has a higher acceptance rate (75.8%) than FGCU (74.4%)

Nova vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Nova 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 Nova.

  • The graduation rate at FGCU is higher than Nova Southeastern University (45% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Nova Southeastern University earn on average $8,100 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($53,300 vs. $45,200)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University students graduate with a $5,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Nova graduates. ($19,500 vs. $25,100)
  • FGCU graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Nova graduates. ($201 vs. $259)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Nova students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 44%)

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