Florida Gulf Coast University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Fort Myers, Florida. It enrolls 13,874 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
77/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes62
Value87
Affordability60
Selectivity52
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 63.4%, Florida Gulf Coast University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
63.4%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1040 – 1200
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
20 – 25
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyRequiredSAT or ACT scores must be submitted with the application.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Florida Gulf Coast University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
10.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Florida Gulf Coast University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $12,568 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,568
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
25%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$6,118
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$25,162
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,107
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,680
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,558
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,558
Total Cost of Attendance
$20,807
Application fee: $30 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$8,220
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,191
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,999
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,450
Over $110,000
$18,829
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,00010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$17,622Medianpercentile
$23,37575%percentile
$31,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,000
↓ $5,622
No Pell $11,302
↓ $6,320
Dependent students $11,327
↓ $6,295
Independent students $13,000
↓ $4,622
Female students $12,000
↓ $5,622
Male students $11,698
↓ $5,924
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,500, less than completers ($17,622), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
48% of full-time students who enrolled at Florida Gulf Coast University graduate within six years, and 83% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
48%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
83%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Florida Gulf Coast University earn a median of $54,560 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$54,560
Earning > $25K
81%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$42,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$44,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$49,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,700, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
14.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 79% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Florida Gulf Coast University is home to 13,874 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 36% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
13,874
Part-Time
21%
First-Generation
36%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 50.1%6,954
Hispanic 25.8%3,577
Black 4.4%608
Other 2.6%362
International 2.5%343
Asian 1.8%250
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Florida Gulf Coast University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbFort Myers, Florida
Housing
Partly residential4,748 beds available
Adult Learners
9%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Florida Gulf Coast University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
75 distinct programs across
23 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Florida Gulf Coast University is 21:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
21:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,418
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$96M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$84,010
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
550 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
116
21%
$110,955
Associate Professors
134
24%
$92,407
Assistant Professors
152
28%
$78,136
Instructors
148
27%
$61,320
Pros & Cons of Florida Gulf Coast University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Florida Gulf Coast University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Below-average completion rate
Frequently Asked Questions about Florida Gulf Coast University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Florida Gulf Coast University.
Is Florida Gulf Coast University hard to get into?
Admissions at Florida Gulf Coast University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 63.4%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Florida Gulf Coast University?
Florida Gulf Coast University has an acceptance rate of 63.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Florida Gulf Coast University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Florida Gulf Coast University scored between 1040 and 1200 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Florida Gulf Coast University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Florida Gulf Coast University scored between 20 and 25 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Florida Gulf Coast University cost?
The average net price after aid at Florida Gulf Coast University is $12,568 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Florida Gulf Coast University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $54,560 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,568 per year. That's roughly 4.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Florida Gulf Coast University known for?
Florida Gulf Coast University is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Florida Gulf Coast University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Florida Gulf Coast University are $54,560, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Florida Gulf Coast University accredited?
Yes. Florida Gulf Coast University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Florida Gulf Coast University?
Florida Gulf Coast University enrolls 13,874 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Florida Gulf Coast University?
Florida Gulf Coast University graduates 48% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Florida Gulf Coast University a public or private college?
Florida Gulf Coast University is a Public institution.
Where is Florida Gulf Coast University located?
Florida Gulf Coast University is located in Fort Myers, Florida.
What programs does Florida Gulf Coast University offer?
Florida Gulf Coast University offers 75 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Florida Gulf Coast University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Florida Gulf Coast University is 21:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
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Higher education data
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Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
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Rankings That Feature Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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93 UCD Score
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$4,815 Lowest Net
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