UCF vs. The University of West Florida

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

UCF The University of West Florida
Location Orlando, FL Pensacola, FL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 68,346 13,521
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #379 #727
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu uwf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCF The University of West Florida
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $4,319
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $16,587
Room & Board $11,498 $11,268
Avg Net Price $13,108 $8,609
Avg Grant Aid $9,986 $11,515
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 84%

Admission

UCF The University of West Florida
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,977 9,113
Admitted 22,560 4,377
Acceptance Rate 41% 48%
Enrolled % 33.3% 27%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/29 21/27
SAT Range 1200/1360 1050/1230
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

UCF The University of West Florida
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

UCF The University of West Florida
Graduation Rate 63% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $188 $193

Diversity

UCF The University of West Florida
% Men 45% 38%
% Women 55% 62%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 65%
% Black 11% 13%
% Hispanic 24% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

UCF The University of West Florida
% In-State 91% 66%
% Out-of-State 9% 11%

Campus

UCF The University of West Florida
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 The University of West Florida based on total student enrollment (68,346 students vs. 13,521 students)

UCF vs. The University of West Florida Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or The University of West Florida?

  • University of Central Florida is 3.7% more expensive to attend than The University of West Florida for in-state tuition ($4,478.00 vs. $4,319.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.4% higher at UCF than The University of West Florida ($19,810.00 vs. $16,587.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of West Florida than UCF ($8,609 vs. $13,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of West Florida are 2% lower than costs at University of Central Florida ($11,268 vs. $11,498)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than The University of West Florida (93% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of West Florida students is 15.3% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($11,515 vs. $9,986)

UCF vs. The University of West Florida Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 126 points higher than at The University of West Florida (1053)
  • Incoming UCF students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at The University of West Florida (23)
  • Accepted freshman UCF students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at The University of West Florida (3.6)
  • The University of West Florida has a higher acceptance rate (48%) than UCF (41%)

UCF vs. The University of West Florida Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF or The University of West Florida? 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 The University of West Florida and UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than The University of West Florida (63% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Florida earn on average $7,700 more per year than The University of West Florida graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $41,200)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $480 lower median federal student loan debt than The University of West Florida graduates. ($18,270 vs. $18,750)
  • UCF graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than The University of West Florida graduates. ($188 vs. $193)
  • More UCF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The University of West Florida students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 55%)

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