Saint Johns River State College vs. FGCU

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

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
Location Palatka, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,066 16,167
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #799
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sjrstate.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
Tuition (In State) $2,067 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $8,408 $22,328
Room & Board $10,458 $10,914
Avg Net Price $7,262 $10,548
Avg Grant Aid $5,448 $7,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 64%

Admission

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 16,050
Admitted - 12,318
Acceptance Rate Open 76.7%
Enrolled % Open 22.5%
Avg High School GPA - 4.0
Typical High School Grades - A/A+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 1040/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Oct 10, 2025 Nov 1, 2025

Academics

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (55%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Business (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (3%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
Graduation Rate - 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,300 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 32% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,651 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $120 $201

Diversity

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
% Men 17% 4%
% Women 27% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 66%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
% In-State 97% 78%
% Out-of-State 1% 19%

Campus

 Saint Johns River State College FGCU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is larger than than Saint Johns River State College based on total student enrollment (16,167 students vs. 7,066 students)

Saint Johns River State College vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Saint Johns River State College or FGCU?

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is 102.8% more expensive to attend than Saint Johns River State College for in-state tuition ($4,191.00 vs. $2,067.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 165.6% higher at FGCU than Saint Johns River State College ($22,328.00 vs. $8,408.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Johns River State College than FGCU ($7,262 vs. $10,548)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Johns River State College are 4.4% lower than costs at Florida Gulf Coast University ($10,458 vs. $10,914)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Gulf Coast University than Saint Johns River State College (64% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Gulf Coast University students is 44.2% larger than aid received Saint Johns River State College ($7,858 vs. $5,448)

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

Saint Johns River State College vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Saint Johns River 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 Saint Johns River State College.

  • Graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University earn on average $12,900 more per year than Saint Johns River State College graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $32,300)
  • Saint Johns River State College students graduate with a $7,849 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($11,651 vs. $19,500)
  • Saint Johns River State College graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($120 vs. $201)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Johns River State College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 32%)

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