Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) vs Ave Maria

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Ave Maria University (AMU) are two distinct institutions of higher learning located in the vibrant state of Florida. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs and opportunities, they differ in several key aspects. FGCU boasts a significantly higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students. AMU, on the other hand, has a more selective admissions process, resulting in a smaller and more tight-knit student body. In terms of academic offerings, FGCU excels in fields such as business, education, and health professions, while AMU specializes in liberal arts, pre-professional programs, and Catholic studies. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the differences between these two universities, including student demographics, graduation rates, and additional details that will help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey.

	Ave Maria University	Florida Gulf Coast University
Overview
Location	Ave Maria, Florida	Fort Myers, Florida
Campus setting	Rural: Distant	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	76.0%	82.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	64.0%	89.2%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $30
SAT range	N/A	1010 - 1180
ACT range	N/A	19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score		79.0%
Students submitting ACT score		45.0%
Total number of applicants	3,705	14,462
Total number of admissions given out	2,373	12,901
Admitted students who chose to enroll	377	3,125
Yield rate	15.9%	24.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$41,977	In state: $20,390 Out of state: $39,434
Average net price	$18,643	$9,840
Tuition	$23,521	In state: $4,191 Out of state: $22,328
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,562 Meal plan: $5,528	Room/dormitory: $4,820 Meal plan: $4,346
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $21,230	78.0% Average amount $6,754
Students receiving federal student loan	55.0% Average amount $5,696	30.0% Average amount $7,251
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $11,852	4.0% Average amount $16,201

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,259 Men 45.1% Women 54.9%	14,228 Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
Graduate students	43 Men 69.8% Women 30.2%	1,681 Men 29.2% Women 70.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	17.6%
International students	1.3%	2.1%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Distant	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,244	4,732
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Florida Illinois New Jersey Pennsylvania Ohio

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Theology Social Sciences Education	Health Professions Multidisciplinary Studies Liberal Arts Education Engineering
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	22:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	60.9%	56.2%
Dropout rate	39.1%	26.2%
Transferred out	N/A	13.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,648 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $36,766 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,250 Year 3: $34,401 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,800 Year 2: $30,988 Year 3: $30,767 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,762 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Theological and Ministerial Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,775 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $48,041 Year 3: N/A	Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,910 Year 2: $59,722 Year 3: $85,341 Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $74,972 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $70,296 Year 3: $73,324 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $66,429 Year 2: $66,821 Year 3: $68,880 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $51,840 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $68,095 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,707 Year 2: $47,520 Year 3: $65,837 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,279 Year 2: $62,409 Year 3: $64,731 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,799 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $63,963 Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,944 Year 2: $46,769 Year 3: $59,253 Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,874 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $58,083

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Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) vs Ave Maria

Ave Maria University

Florida Gulf Coast University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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