UCF vs. Palm Beach Atlantic

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

 UCF Palm Beach Atlantic
Location Orlando, FL West Palm Beach, FL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 69,233 3,875
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #514
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu pba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF Palm Beach Atlantic
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $36,990
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $36,990
Room & Board $12,070 $12,610
Avg Net Price $13,110 $31,103
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $24,541
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 100%

Admission

 UCF Palm Beach Atlantic
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 7,657
Admitted 23,961 6,763
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 88.3%
Enrolled % 34.2% 10.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/29 19/26
SAT Range 1190/1350 970/1210
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 Palm Beach Atlantic
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 UCF Palm Beach Atlantic
Graduation Rate 63% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $22,704
Median Loan Payment $188 $234

Diversity

 UCF Palm Beach Atlantic
% Men 6% 7%
% Women 8% 13%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 62%
% Black 11% 12%
% Hispanic 24% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 UCF Palm Beach Atlantic
% In-State 92% 46%
% Out-of-State 8% 50%

Campus

 UCF Palm Beach Atlantic
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 Palm Beach Atlantic based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 3,875 students)

UCF vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or Palm Beach Atlantic?

  • Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach is 726% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($36,990.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.7% higher at Palm Beach Atlantic than University of Central Florida ($36,990.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than Palm Beach Atlantic ($13,110 vs. $31,103)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 4.5% lower than costs at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach ($12,070 vs. $12,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach than University of Central Florida (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach students is 156% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($24,541 vs. $9,585)

UCF vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 114 points higher than at Palm Beach Atlantic (1065)
  • Incoming UCF students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (23)
  • Accepted freshman UCF students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (3.36)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic has a higher acceptance rate (88.3%) than UCF (39.5%)

UCF vs. Palm Beach Atlantic Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF or Palm Beach Atlantic? 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 Palm Beach Atlantic and UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Florida earn on average $2,600 more per year than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $46,300)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $4,434 lower median federal student loan debt than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates. ($18,270 vs. $22,704)
  • UCF graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates. ($188 vs. $234)
  • More UCF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach Atlantic students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 56%)

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