FAU vs. FIU vs. Barry University

Should I go to Florida Atlantic University or Florida International University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if FAU or FIU 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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Florida Atlantic University vs. Florida International University vs. Barry University comparison
Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Barry University College 4
Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Barry University
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Overview

 FAU FIU Barry University
Location Boca Raton, FL Miami, FL Miami, FL
Setting Small City Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,790 53,953 6,836
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #678 #628
Religious Affiliation - - Roman Catholic -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu fiu.edu barry.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 FAU FIU Barry University
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $4,721 $32,800
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $16,529 $32,800
Room & Board $12,536 $12,156 $13,500
Avg Net Price $9,839 $10,742 $23,930
Avg Grant Aid $10,786 $10,012 $25,115
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 90% 100%

Admission

 FAU FIU Barry University
Applied 27,612 25,034 12,141
Admitted 20,279 14,729 7,172
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 58.8% 59.1%
Enrolled % 21.8% 35.1% 8.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 4.0 3.6
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/26
SAT Range 1040/1210 1060/1250
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 FAU FIU Barry University
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 24:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

 FAU FIU Barry University
Graduation Rate 43% 43% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $49,900 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 53% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $17,228 $28,385
Median Loan Payment $174 $178 $293

Diversity

 FAU FIU Barry University
% Men 9% 7% 16%
% Women 12% 11% 38%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 43% 9% 21%
% Black 20% 12% 33%
% Hispanic 26% 67% 31%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2% 2%
% International 2% 6% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 1% 4%

Students

 FAU FIU Barry University
% In-State 72% 94% 53%
% Out-of-State 22% 4% 39%

Campus

 FAU FIU Barry University
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes No
Learn More Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida International University is larger than than FAU based on total student enrollment (53,953 students vs. 30,790 students)

FAU vs. FIU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or FIU?

  • Florida International University is 87.2% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($4,721.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15% higher at FIU than Florida Atlantic University ($16,529.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than FIU ($9,839 vs. $10,742)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida International University are 3.1% lower than costs at Florida Atlantic University ($12,156 vs. $12,536)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida International University than Florida Atlantic University (90% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Atlantic University students is 7.7% larger than aid received Florida International University ($10,786 vs. $10,012)

FAU vs. FIU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida International University (1090) is 43 points higher than at FAU (1047)
  • Incoming FIU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at FAU (23)
  • Accepted freshman FIU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at FAU (3.74)
  • FAU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than FIU (58.8%)

FAU vs. FIU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU or FIU? 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 FIU and FAU.

  • The graduation rate at FAU is the same as at Florida International University (43% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Florida International University earn on average $3,700 more per year than FAU graduates after ten years. ($49,900 vs. $46,200)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $367 lower median federal student loan debt than FIU graduates. ($16,861 vs. $17,228)
  • FAU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than FIU graduates. ($174 vs. $178)
  • More FAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FIU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 53%)

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