Palm Beach State College vs. FGCU

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

 Palm Beach State College FGCU
Location Lake Worth, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 24,223 15,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website palmbeachstate.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Palm Beach State College FGCU
Tuition (In State) $3,030 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $10,890 $22,328
Room & Board $12,825 $9,772
Avg Net Price $10,549 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $5,996 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 72%

Admission

 Palm Beach State College FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 15,657
Admitted - 11,647
Acceptance Rate Open 74.4%
Enrolled % Open 24.1%
Avg High School GPA - 4.0
Typical High School Grades - A/A+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 1040/1200
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025 Nov 1, 2024

Academics

 Palm Beach State College FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Palm Beach State College FGCU
Graduation Rate - 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,000 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,750 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $59 $201

Diversity

 Palm Beach State College FGCU
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 35% 66%
% Black 25% 7%
% Hispanic 28% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Palm Beach State College FGCU
% In-State 98% 75%
% Out-of-State 1% 22%

Campus

 Palm Beach 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

  • Palm Beach State College is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (24,223 students vs. 15,969 students)

Palm Beach State College vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palm Beach State College or FGCU?

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is 38.3% more expensive to attend than Palm Beach State College for in-state tuition ($4,191.00 vs. $3,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105% higher at FGCU than Palm Beach State College ($22,328.00 vs. $10,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palm Beach State College than FGCU ($10,549 vs. $10,834)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 31.2% lower than costs at Palm Beach State College ($9,772 vs. $12,825)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palm Beach State College than Florida Gulf Coast University (91% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Gulf Coast University students is 21.2% larger than aid received Palm Beach State College ($7,268 vs. $5,996)

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

Palm Beach State College vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach State College.

  • Graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University earn on average $9,200 more per year than Palm Beach State College graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $36,000)
  • Palm Beach State College students graduate with a $13,750 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($5,750 vs. $19,500)
  • Palm Beach State College graduates are paying $142 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($59 vs. $201)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach State College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 38%)

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