UCF vs. Florida State

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

 UCF Florida State
Location Orlando, FL Tallahassee, FL
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 69,233 43,234
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF Florida State
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $16,540
Room & Board $12,070 $12,740
Avg Net Price $13,110 $14,903
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $8,731
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 86%

Admission

 UCF Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 74,038
Admitted 23,961 18,793
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 25.4%
Enrolled % 34.2% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 25/29 27/31
SAT Range 1190/1350 1240/1390
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 UCF Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 UCF Florida State
Graduation Rate 63% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $188 $214

Diversity

 UCF Florida State
% Men 6% 10%
% Women 8% 16%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 64%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 24% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UCF Florida State
% In-State 92% 83%
% Out-of-State 8% 16%

Campus

 UCF 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

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than Florida State based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 43,234 students)

UCF vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or Florida State?

  • University of Central Florida is 11.3% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($4,478.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.8% higher at UCF than Florida State University ($19,810.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than Florida State ($13,110 vs. $14,903)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 5.6% lower than costs at Florida State University ($12,070 vs. $12,740)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than University of Central Florida (86% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Central Florida students is 9.8% larger than aid received Florida State University ($9,585 vs. $8,731)

UCF vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 36 points higher than at UCF (1179)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UCF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Florida State students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • UCF has a higher acceptance rate (39.5%) than Florida State (25.4%)

UCF vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF 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 UCF.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than University of Central Florida (74% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $2,500 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $2,480 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($18,270 vs. $20,750)
  • UCF graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($188 vs. $214)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF 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/