Pensacola State vs. FGCU

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

Pensacola State FGCU
Location Pensacola, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,981 15,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pensacolastate.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pensacola State FGCU
Tuition (In State) $1,888 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $7,551 $22,328
Room & Board $9,486 $9,772
Avg Net Price $3,305 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $5,663 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 67% 72%

Admission

Pensacola State FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 15,657
Admitted - 11,647
Acceptance Rate Open 74.4%
Enrolled % Open 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 2.54 4.0
Typical High School Grades C+ 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 30, 2025 Nov 1, 2024

Academics

Pensacola State FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 20:1
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%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Pensacola State FGCU
Graduation Rate - 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,300 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $3,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $36 $201

Diversity

Pensacola State FGCU
% Men 36% 42%
% Women 64% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 66%
% Black 16% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Pensacola State FGCU
% In-State 94% 75%
% Out-of-State 5% 22%

Campus

Pensacola State FGCU
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

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is larger than than Pensacola State based on total student enrollment (15,969 students vs. 7,981 students)

Pensacola State vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pensacola State or FGCU?

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is 122% more expensive to attend than Pensacola State for in-state tuition ($4,191.00 vs. $1,888.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 195.7% higher at FGCU than Pensacola State College ($22,328.00 vs. $7,551.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pensacola State College than FGCU ($3,305 vs. $10,834)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pensacola State College are 3% lower than costs at Florida Gulf Coast University ($9,486 vs. $9,772)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Gulf Coast University than Pensacola State College (72% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Gulf Coast University students is 28.3% larger than aid received Pensacola State College ($7,268 vs. $5,663)

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

  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 1.46 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Pensacola State (2.54)

Pensacola State vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pensacola State 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 Pensacola State.

  • Graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University earn on average $14,900 more per year than Pensacola State graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $30,300)
  • Pensacola State College students graduate with a $16,000 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($3,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Pensacola State graduates are paying $165 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($36 vs. $201)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pensacola State 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/