UCSC vs. Florida State

Should I go to University of California Santa Cruz or Florida State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Florida UCF USF Main Campus UC Riverside Auburn UCSB FIU UC Davis Georgia Cal Poly UofSC FAU
University of California Santa Cruz vs. Florida State University comparison
University of California Santa Cruz Florida State University College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Cruz Florida State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UCSC Florida State
Location Santa Cruz, CA Tallahassee, FL
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 19,478 44,161
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSC Florida State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $16,540
Room & Board $18,185 $11,592
Avg Net Price $17,975 $14,003
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $10,169
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 89%

Admission

 UCSC Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 78,088
Admitted 30,926 19,552
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 25%
Enrolled % 12.5% 30.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 25/33 26/31
SAT Range 1160/1360 1210/1370
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 UCSC Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 UCSC Florida State
Graduation Rate 73% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $206 $214

Diversity

 UCSC Florida State
% Men 50% 42%
% Women 50% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 64%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 31% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 UCSC Florida State
% In-State 90% 85%
% Out-of-State 7% 14%

Campus

 UCSC 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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSC vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Florida State?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 187.5% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 151.7% higher at UCSC than Florida State University ($41,636.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than UCSC ($14,003 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 56.9% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($11,592 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than University of California Santa Cruz (89% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 108.5% larger than aid received Florida State University ($21,202 vs. $10,169)

UCSC vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 14 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Florida State (27)
  • Accepted freshman Florida State students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (46.9%) than Florida State (25%)

UCSC vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (74% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $791 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($19,959 vs. $20,750)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($206 vs. $214)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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