Palm Beach Atlantic vs. FGCU

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

Palm Beach Atlantic FGCU
Location West Palm Beach, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,828 15,969
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #491 #802
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pba.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Palm Beach Atlantic FGCU
Tuition (In State) $34,900 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $34,900 $22,328
Room & Board $11,690 $9,772
Avg Net Price $30,276 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $22,749 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 72%

Admission

Palm Beach Atlantic FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,220 15,657
Admitted 5,888 11,647
Acceptance Rate 94.7% 74.4%
Enrolled % 12% 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 20/25
SAT Range 1000/1240 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

Palm Beach Atlantic FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Palm Beach Atlantic FGCU
Graduation Rate 58% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,704 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $234 $201

Diversity

Palm Beach Atlantic FGCU
% Men 36% 42%
% Women 64% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 66%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 17% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Palm Beach Atlantic FGCU
% In-State 46% 75%
% Out-of-State 51% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is larger than than Palm Beach Atlantic based on total student enrollment (15,969 students vs. 3,828 students)

Palm Beach Atlantic vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palm Beach Atlantic or FGCU?

  • Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach is 732.7% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($34,900.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.3% higher at Palm Beach Atlantic than Florida Gulf Coast University ($34,900.00 vs. $22,328.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than Palm Beach Atlantic ($10,834 vs. $30,276)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 19.6% lower than costs at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach ($9,772 vs. $11,690)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach than Florida Gulf Coast University (99% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach students is 213% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($22,749 vs. $7,268)

Palm Beach Atlantic vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Gulf Coast University (1081) is 16 points higher than at Palm Beach Atlantic (1065)
  • Incoming FGCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (23)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (3.36)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than FGCU (74.4%)

Palm Beach Atlantic vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Palm Beach Atlantic 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 Palm Beach Atlantic.

  • The graduation rate at Palm Beach Atlantic is higher than Florida Gulf Coast University (58% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach earn on average $1,100 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($46,300 vs. $45,200)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University students graduate with a $3,204 lower median federal student loan debt than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,704)
  • FGCU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates. ($201 vs. $234)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach Atlantic students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 56%)

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