UCF vs. Nova

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

 UCF Nova
Location Orlando, FL Fort Lauderdale, FL
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 69,233 20,877
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #436
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu nova.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF Nova
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $35,880
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $35,880
Room & Board $12,070 $15,950
Avg Net Price $13,110 $32,756
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $23,120
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 100%

Admission

 UCF Nova
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 17,621
Admitted 23,961 12,805
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 72.7%
Enrolled % 34.2% 15.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.99
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/29 21/28
SAT Range 1190/1350 1050/1310
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 Nova
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 UCF Nova
Graduation Rate 63% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $53,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $25,100
Median Loan Payment $188 $259

Diversity

 UCF Nova
% Men 6% 19%
% Women 8% 47%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 31%
% Black 11% 18%
% Hispanic 24% 32%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UCF Nova
% In-State 92% 56%
% Out-of-State 8% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than Nova based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 20,877 students)

UCF vs. Nova Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or Nova?

  • Nova Southeastern University is 701.3% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($35,880.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.1% higher at Nova than University of Central Florida ($35,880.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than Nova ($13,110 vs. $32,756)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 32.1% lower than costs at Nova Southeastern University ($12,070 vs. $15,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Nova Southeastern University than University of Central Florida (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nova Southeastern University students is 141.2% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($23,120 vs. $9,585)

UCF vs. Nova Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 49 points higher than at Nova (1130)
  • Incoming UCF students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at Nova (26)
  • Accepted freshman Nova students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • Nova has a higher acceptance rate (72.7%) than UCF (39.5%)

UCF vs. Nova Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than Nova Southeastern University (63% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Nova Southeastern University earn on average $4,400 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($53,300 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $6,830 lower median federal student loan debt than Nova graduates. ($18,270 vs. $25,100)
  • UCF graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Nova graduates. ($188 vs. $259)
  • More UCF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Nova students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 44%)

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