Alabama vs. Florida State

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

 Alabama Florida State
Location Tuscaloosa, AL Tallahassee, FL
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 38,644 44,161
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #404 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Alabama Florida State
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $31,460 $16,540
Room & Board $14,426 $11,592
Avg Net Price $20,592 $14,003
Avg Grant Aid $15,683 $10,169
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 89%

Admission

 Alabama Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,072 78,088
Admitted 43,290 19,552
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 25%
Enrolled % 18.6% 30.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 23/31 26/31
SAT Range 1130/1410 1210/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Alabama Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Alabama Florida State
Graduation Rate 66% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $245 $214

Diversity

 Alabama Florida State
% Men 43% 42%
% Women 57% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 64%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Alabama Florida State
% In-State 35% 85%
% Out-of-State 64% 14%

Campus

 Alabama Florida State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida State University is larger than than Alabama based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 38,644 students)

Alabama vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or Florida State?

  • The University of Alabama is 176% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($11,100.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.2% higher at Alabama than Florida State University ($31,460.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than Alabama ($14,003 vs. $20,592)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 24.4% lower than costs at The University of Alabama ($11,592 vs. $14,426)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than The University of Alabama (89% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Alabama students is 54.2% larger than aid received Florida State University ($15,683 vs. $10,169)

Alabama vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 34 points higher than at Alabama (1181)
  • Incoming Alabama students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Florida State (27)
  • Accepted freshman Alabama students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than Florida State (25%)

Alabama vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama or Florida State? 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 Florida State and Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than The University of Alabama (74% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $1,500 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $49,900)
  • Florida State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($20,750 vs. $23,750)
  • Florida State graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($214 vs. $245)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 59%)

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