Florida vs. UCF vs. Clemson

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

 Florida UCF Clemson
Location Gainesville, FL Orlando, FL Clemson, SC
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 54,814 69,233 28,747
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #74 #387 #130
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website ufl.edu ucf.edu clemson.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Florida UCF Clemson
Tuition (In State) $4,477 $4,478 $14,038
Tuition (Out of State) $25,694 $19,810 $37,982
Room & Board $11,500 $12,070 $12,872
Avg Net Price $11,521 $13,110 $24,408
Avg Grant Aid $10,724 $9,585 $10,599
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 85% 74%

Admission

 Florida UCF Clemson
Applied 65,375 60,627 60,122
Admitted 15,707 23,961 22,879
Acceptance Rate 24% 39.5% 38.1%
Enrolled % 43.1% 34.2% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.64 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low High
ACT Range 28/33 25/29 28/32
SAT Range 1300/1480 1190/1350 1230/1390
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2026 May 1, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Florida UCF Clemson
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 29:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 Florida UCF Clemson
Graduation Rate 84% 63% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,600 $48,900 $57,100
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 59% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,815 $18,270 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $163 $188 $222

Diversity

 Florida UCF Clemson
% Men 15% 6% 10%
% Women 21% 8% 11%
Racial Diversity High High Very Low
HBCU No No No
% White 57% 53% 83%
% Black 6% 11% 7%
% Hispanic 21% 24% 3%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4% 3%
% International 1% 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1% 1%

Students

 Florida UCF Clemson
% In-State 79% 92% 51%
% Out-of-State 15% 8% 48%

Campus

 Florida UCF Clemson
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes No
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Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than Florida based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 54,814 students)

Florida vs. UCF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida or UCF?

  • University of Central Florida is 0% more expensive to attend than Florida for in-state tuition ($4,478.00 vs. $4,477.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.7% higher at Florida than University of Central Florida ($25,694.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Florida than UCF ($11,521 vs. $13,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Florida are 5% lower than costs at University of Central Florida ($11,500 vs. $12,070)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Florida than University of Central Florida (88% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Florida students is 11.9% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($10,724 vs. $9,585)

Florida vs. UCF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Florida (1277) is 98 points higher than at UCF (1179)
  • Incoming Florida students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Florida students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • UCF has a higher acceptance rate (39.5%) than Florida (24%)

Florida vs. UCF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida or UCF? 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 UCF and Florida.

  • The graduation rate at Florida is higher than University of Central Florida (84% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Florida earn on average $13,700 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($62,600 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Florida students graduate with a $2,455 lower median federal student loan debt than UCF graduates. ($15,815 vs. $18,270)
  • Florida graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than UCF graduates. ($163 vs. $188)
  • More Florida graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 59%)

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