UCF vs. JU

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

 UCF JU
Location Orlando, FL Jacksonville, FL
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 69,233 3,957
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #414
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu jacksonville.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF JU
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $45,050
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $45,050
Room & Board $12,070 $16,550
Avg Net Price $13,110 $25,745
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $35,701
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 99%

Admission

 UCF JU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 8,879
Admitted 23,961 5,087
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 57.3%
Enrolled % 34.2% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/29 24/28
SAT Range 1190/1350 1110/1260
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026

Academics

 UCF JU
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Health Professions (47%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 UCF JU
Graduation Rate 63% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $54,800
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $22,621
Median Loan Payment $188 $233

Diversity

 UCF JU
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 8% 24%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 48%
% Black 11% 14%
% Hispanic 24% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 19%

Students

 UCF JU
% In-State 92% 47%
% Out-of-State 8% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than JU based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 3,957 students)

UCF vs. JU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or JU?

  • Jacksonville University is 906% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($45,050.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127.4% higher at JU than University of Central Florida ($45,050.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than JU ($13,110 vs. $25,745)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 37.1% lower than costs at Jacksonville University ($12,070 vs. $16,550)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Jacksonville University than University of Central Florida (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Jacksonville University students is 272.5% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($35,701 vs. $9,585)

UCF vs. JU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UCF students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at JU (3.61)
  • JU has a higher acceptance rate (57.3%) than UCF (39.5%)

UCF vs. JU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF or JU? 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 JU and UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than Jacksonville University (63% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Jacksonville University earn on average $5,900 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($54,800 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $4,351 lower median federal student loan debt than JU graduates. ($18,270 vs. $22,621)
  • UCF graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than JU graduates. ($188 vs. $233)
  • More UCF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 54%)

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