UCF vs. FGCU

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

 UCF FGCU
Location Orlando, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 69,233 16,167
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #799
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF FGCU
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $22,328
Room & Board $12,070 $10,914
Avg Net Price $13,110 $10,548
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $7,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 64%

Admission

 UCF FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 16,050
Admitted 23,961 12,318
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 76.7%
Enrolled % 34.2% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Difficult Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/29 20/25
SAT Range 1190/1350 1040/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Nov 1, 2025

Academics

 UCF FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 UCF FGCU
Graduation Rate 63% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $188 $201

Diversity

 UCF FGCU
% Men 6% 4%
% Women 8% 8%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 66%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 24% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UCF FGCU
% In-State 92% 78%
% Out-of-State 8% 19%

Campus

 UCF FGCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 16,167 students)

UCF vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or FGCU?

  • University of Central Florida is 6.8% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($4,478.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.7% higher at FGCU than University of Central Florida ($22,328.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than UCF ($10,548 vs. $13,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 10.6% lower than costs at University of Central Florida ($10,914 vs. $12,070)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than Florida Gulf Coast University (85% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Central Florida students is 22% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($9,585 vs. $7,858)

UCF vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 98 points higher than at FGCU (1081)
  • Incoming UCF students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at FGCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • FGCU has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than UCF (39.5%)

UCF vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF 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 UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than Florida Gulf Coast University (63% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Florida earn on average $3,700 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $45,200)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $1,230 lower median federal student loan debt than FGCU graduates. ($18,270 vs. $19,500)
  • UCF graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than FGCU graduates. ($188 vs. $201)
  • More UCF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FGCU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 59%)

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