UCI vs. Florida State

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

 UCI Florida State
Location Irvine, CA Tallahassee, FL
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 36,582 43,234
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCI Florida State
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $16,540
Room & Board $18,423 $12,740
Avg Net Price $14,647 $14,903
Avg Grant Aid $21,533 $8,731
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 86%

Admission

 UCI Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 121,101 74,038
Admitted 30,962 18,793
Acceptance Rate 25.6% 25.4%
Enrolled % 21.9% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 26/33 27/31
SAT Range 1230/1430 1240/1390
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 UCI Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 UCI Florida State
Graduation Rate 85% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $175 $214

Diversity

 UCI Florida State
% Men 10% 10%
% Women 10% 16%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 15% 64%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 25% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 16% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UCI Florida State
% In-State 77% 83%
% Out-of-State 8% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Florida State University is larger than than UCI based on total student enrollment (43,234 students vs. 36,582 students)

UCI vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or Florida State?

  • University of California Irvine is 194.2% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 157.6% higher at UCI than Florida State University ($42,611.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than Florida State ($14,647 vs. $14,903)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 44.6% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($12,740 vs. $18,423)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than University of California Irvine (86% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 146.6% larger than aid received Florida State University ($21,533 vs. $8,731)

UCI vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 40 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming UCI students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Florida State (27)
  • Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • UCI has a higher acceptance rate (25.6%) than Florida State (25.4%)

UCI vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is higher than Florida State University (85% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $10,400 more per year than Florida State graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $51,400)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($17,000 vs. $20,750)
  • UCI graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($175 vs. $214)
  • More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)

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