Pensacola State vs. Central State University

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

Pensacola State Central State University
Location Pensacola, FL Wilberforce, OH
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,518 3,454
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1017
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pensacolastate.edu centralstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pensacola State Central State University
Tuition (In State) $1,871 $5,404
Tuition (Out of State) $7,483 $7,404
Room & Board $10,226 $11,390
Avg Net Price $3,436 $14,821
Avg Grant Aid $6,614 $6,318
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 86%

Admission

Pensacola State Central State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 3,291
Admitted - 1,514
Acceptance Rate Open 46%
Enrolled % Open 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.54 2.8
Typical High School Grades C+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18
SAT Range 770/950
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 30, 2026

Academics

Pensacola State Central State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (53%)
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Engineering Technology (3%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Pensacola State Central State University
Graduation Rate - 24%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,300 $27,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 16%
Median Student Loan Debt $3,500 $39,000
Median Loan Payment $36 $403

Diversity

Pensacola State Central State University
% Men 9% 0%
% Women 12% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 66% 1%
% Black 16% 95%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Pensacola State Central State University
% In-State 91% 47%
% Out-of-State 4% 44%

Campus

Pensacola State Central State University
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Pensacola State College is larger than than Central State University based on total student enrollment (8,518 students vs. 3,454 students)

Pensacola State vs. Central State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pensacola State or Central State University?

  • Central State University is 188.8% more expensive to attend than Pensacola State for in-state tuition ($5,404.00 vs. $1,871.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.1% higher at Pensacola State than Central State University ($7,483.00 vs. $7,404.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pensacola State College than Central State University ($3,436 vs. $14,821)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pensacola State College are 11.4% lower than costs at Central State University ($10,226 vs. $11,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central State University than Pensacola State College (86% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pensacola State College students is 4.7% larger than aid received Central State University ($6,614 vs. $6,318)

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

  • Accepted freshman Central State University students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (2.8) than students at Pensacola State (2.54)

Pensacola State vs. Central State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pensacola State or Central State University? 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 Central State University and Pensacola State.

  • Graduates from Pensacola State College earn on average $3,100 more per year than Central State University graduates after ten years. ($30,300 vs. $27,200)
  • Pensacola State College students graduate with a $35,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Central State University graduates. ($3,500 vs. $39,000)
  • Pensacola State graduates are paying $367 less per month on federal student loans than Central State University graduates. ($36 vs. $403)
  • More Pensacola State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central State University students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 16%)

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