WCU vs. FGCU

Should I go to West Chester University of Pennsylvania or Florida Gulf Coast University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WCU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

FAU Temple UCF USF Main Campus Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Florida State University of South Florida St. Petersburg UT Millersville University of Pennsylvania Kutztown University of Pennsylvania UNF Penn State
West Chester University of Pennsylvania vs. Florida Gulf Coast University comparison
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Florida Gulf Coast University College 3 College 4
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Florida Gulf Coast University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 WCU FGCU
Location West Chester, PA Fort Myers, FL
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 17,275 15,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #496 #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcupa.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU FGCU
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $19,290 $22,328
Room & Board $14,228 $9,772
Avg Net Price $22,973 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $5,443 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 72%

Admission

 WCU FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,778 15,657
Admitted 12,982 11,647
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 74.4%
Enrolled % 23.2% 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.43 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 20/25
SAT Range 1080/1260 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

 WCU FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 WCU FGCU
Graduation Rate 68% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $242 $201

Diversity

 WCU FGCU
% Men 39% 42%
% Women 61% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 66%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 WCU FGCU
% In-State 87% 75%
% Out-of-State 12% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than FGCU based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 15,969 students)

WCU vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or FGCU?

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is 84.1% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.7% higher at FGCU than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($22,328.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than WCU ($10,834 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 45.6% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($9,772 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Gulf Coast University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (72% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Gulf Coast University students is 33.5% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($7,268 vs. $5,443)

WCU vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Gulf Coast University (1081) is 9 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming WCU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at FGCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than FGCU (74.4%)

WCU vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU 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 WCU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Florida Gulf Coast University (68% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $3,800 more per year than FGCU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $45,200)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,500)
  • FGCU graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($201 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FGCU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 59%)

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