George Mason University (GMU) vs Florida State

Envision yourself as a student, standing at the crossroads of two esteemed universities: George Mason University and Florida State University. Both institutions offer a wealth of opportunities, yet they possess distinct characteristics that may sway your decision. George Mason University, nestled in Fairfax, Virginia, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring scholars. In contrast, Florida State University, located in vibrant Tallahassee, Florida, maintains a lower acceptance rate, indicating a highly selective admissions process. Delve into our comprehensive comparison table to uncover further disparities, including popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Discover which university aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences, ensuring a fulfilling and transformative educational experience.

	Florida State University	George Mason University
Overview
Location	Tallahassee, Florida	Fairfax, Virginia
Campus setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	94.0%	84.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	37.1%	91.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $30	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $75
SAT range	1180 - 1340	1140 - 1350
ACT range	26 - 30	25 - 30
Students submitting SAT score	65.0%	37.0%
Students submitting ACT score	36.0%	3.0%
Total number of applicants	65,235	20,527
Total number of admissions given out	24,183	18,741
Admitted students who chose to enroll	7,619	3,986
Yield rate	31.5%	21.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $23,476 Out of state: $36,606	In state: $35,263 Out of state: $58,723
Average net price	$12,684	$18,841
Tuition	In state: $4,022 Out of state: $16,540	In state: $9,510 Out of state: $32,970
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,020 Meal plan: $4,856	Room/dormitory: $7,620 Meal plan: $5,010
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	94.0% Average amount $10,620	70.0% Average amount $10,110
Students receiving federal student loan	19.0% Average amount $4,996	43.0% Average amount $5,006
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $13,430	6.0% Average amount $18,474

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	33,593 Men 42.9% Women 57.1%	26,882 Men 50.4% Women 49.6%
Graduate students	11,537 Men 38.4% Women 61.6%	11,746 Men 40.7% Women 59.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	15.7%	18.9%
International students	4.2%	8.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	6,709	6,513
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Florida Georgia New Jersey New York Illinois	Virginia Maryland District of Columbia Pennsylvania New York

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Visual & Performing Arts Legal Profession	Education Health Professions Business Computer and Information Science Engineering
Students to faculty ratio	22:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	83.2%	70.1%
Dropout rate	10.9%	9.6%
Transferred out	5.3%	16.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $86,926 Year 2: $92,632 Year 3: $102,429 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,442 Year 2: $71,015 Year 3: $89,448 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,610 Year 2: $68,305 Year 3: $78,263 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,971 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $78,057 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $84,179 Year 2: $83,177 Year 3: $77,718 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $78,794 Year 2: $74,576 Year 3: $77,527 Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,567 Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $75,845 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $69,881 Year 2: $68,918 Year 3: $74,476 Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $74,364 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $63,216 Year 2: $60,325 Year 3: $72,686	Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $96,837 Year 2: $109,763 Year 3: $127,586 Homeland Security (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,476 Year 2: $127,993 Year 3: $120,573 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,886 Year 2: $99,709 Year 3: $117,377 Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $112,424 Year 2: $101,072 Year 3: $115,693 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,841 Year 2: $105,585 Year 3: $113,896 Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $121,226 Year 2: $92,632 Year 3: $105,664 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $101,843 Year 2: $100,690 Year 3: $101,702 Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $78,386 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $101,604 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,911 Year 2: $91,448 Year 3: $99,722 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,065 Year 2: $92,277 Year 3: $94,785

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