Bethune-Cookman vs. FGCU

Should I go to Bethune Cookman University or Florida Gulf Coast University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bethune-Cookman or FGCU 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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Bethune Cookman University vs. Florida Gulf Coast University comparison
Bethune Cookman University Florida Gulf Coast University College 3 College 4
Bethune Cookman University Florida Gulf Coast University
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Overview

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
Location Daytona Beach, FL Fort Myers, FL
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,727 15,969
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1010 #802
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cookman.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
Tuition (In State) $13,844 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $13,844 $22,328
Room & Board $10,396 $9,772
Avg Net Price $15,769 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $13,780 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 72%

Admission

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,818 15,657
Admitted 10,891 11,647
Acceptance Rate 85% 74.4%
Enrolled % 8.9% 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/18 20/25
SAT Range 830/980 1040/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 1, 2023

Academics

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
Graduation Rate 37% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,700 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 20% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,985 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $372 $201

Diversity

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 66%
% Black 85% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
% In-State 75% 75%
% Out-of-State 21% 22%

Campus

 Bethune-Cookman FGCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida Gulf Coast University is larger than than Bethune-Cookman based on total student enrollment (15,969 students vs. 2,727 students)

Bethune-Cookman vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bethune-Cookman or FGCU?

  • Bethune Cookman University is 230.3% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($13,844.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.3% higher at FGCU than Bethune Cookman University ($22,328.00 vs. $13,844.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than Bethune-Cookman ($10,834 vs. $15,769)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 6.4% lower than costs at Bethune Cookman University ($9,772 vs. $10,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethune Cookman University than Florida Gulf Coast University (99% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethune Cookman University students is 89.6% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($13,780 vs. $7,268)

Bethune-Cookman vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Bethune-Cookman (3.3)
  • Bethune-Cookman has a higher acceptance rate (85%) than FGCU (74.4%)

Bethune-Cookman vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bethune-Cookman or FGCU? 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 FGCU and Bethune-Cookman.

  • The graduation rate at FGCU is higher than Bethune Cookman University (45% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University earn on average $13,500 more per year than Bethune-Cookman graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $31,700)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University students graduate with a $16,485 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethune-Cookman graduates. ($19,500 vs. $35,985)
  • FGCU graduates are paying $171 less per month on federal student loans than Bethune-Cookman graduates. ($201 vs. $372)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethune-Cookman students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 20%)

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