V-State vs Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)

Valdosta State University and Florida Gulf Coast University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to students seeking academic excellence. Valdosta State, nestled in the heart of South Georgia, boasts a rich history and a diverse student body, while Florida Gulf Coast, situated along the scenic Gulf Coast, is known for its innovative programs and vibrant campus life. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation outcomes, these universities cater to different academic aspirations and personal preferences. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your educational goals and personal aspirations, ensuring a fulfilling and successful college journey.

	Florida Gulf Coast University	Valdosta State University
Overview
Location	Fort Myers, Florida	Valdosta, Georgia
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	82.0%	56.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	89.2%	76.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $30	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $45
SAT range	1010 - 1180	940 - 1140
ACT range	19 - 25	17 - 23
Students submitting SAT score	79.0%	18.0%
Students submitting ACT score	45.0%	12.0%
Total number of applicants	14,462	8,650
Total number of admissions given out	12,901	6,606
Admitted students who chose to enroll	3,125	1,782
Yield rate	24.2%	27.0%
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	In state: $20,390 Out of state: $39,434	In state: $22,695 Out of state: $33,750
Average net price	$9,840	$12,856
Tuition	In state: $4,191 Out of state: $22,328	In state: $4,371 Out of state: $15,426
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,820 Meal plan: $4,346	Room/dormitory: $4,566 Meal plan: $4,204
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	78.0% Average amount $6,754	89.0% Average amount $9,221
Students receiving federal student loan	30.0% Average amount $7,251	57.0% Average amount $5,454
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $16,201	4.0% Average amount $8,546

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	14,228 Men 42.9% Women 57.1%	8,760 Men 33.0% Women 67.0%
Graduate students	1,681 Men 29.2% Women 70.8%	2,797 Men 24.7% Women 75.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	17.6%	19.1%
International students	2.1%	1.1%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	4,732	2,857
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Florida Illinois New Jersey Pennsylvania Ohio	Georgia Florida Alabama South Carolina Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Multidisciplinary Studies Liberal Arts Education Engineering	Education Health Professions Business Psychology Library Science
Students to faculty ratio	22:1	19:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	56.2%	41.0%
Dropout rate	26.2%	14.9%
Transferred out	13.4%	41.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $64,245 Year 3: $69,158 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,210 Year 2: $58,898 Year 3: $64,095 Educational/Instructional Media Design (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $61,814 Year 3: $61,964 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $59,858 Year 3: $61,823 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,309 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $58,113 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,101 Year 2: $52,524 Year 3: $54,080 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,464 Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: $52,422 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,958 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $52,230 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,173 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $51,849 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,788 Year 2: $48,363 Year 3: $51,433

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