Miami Dade College (MDC) vs Gulf Coast State College (GCSC)

Miami Dade College and Gulf Coast State College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer diverse educational opportunities to students seeking a quality college experience. While they share a commitment to academic excellence, these colleges differ in several key aspects. Miami Dade College boasts a significantly higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students, while Gulf Coast State College maintains a more selective admissions process. In terms of student demographics, Miami Dade College's student body is more diverse, reflecting the vibrant multiculturalism of its location, while Gulf Coast State College's student population is predominantly White. Additionally, the two colleges offer distinct academic programs, with Miami Dade College excelling in fields such as nursing and health professions, and Gulf Coast State College specializing in programs like aviation and construction. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting these differences and more. Explore the table to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Gulf Coast State College	Miami Dade College
Overview
Location	Panama City, Florida	Miami, Florida
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	Open Admission
Application fees	$20	$30
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
High school GPA	N/A	N/A
Recommendation letters	N/A	N/A
High school transcript	N/A	N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	N/A

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $16,812 Out of state: $23,077	In state: $30,052 Out of state: $36,875
Average net price	$4,163	$4,211
Tuition	In state: $1,750 Out of state: $7,065	In state: $1,987 Out of state: $7,947
Room & board
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan	Tuition payment plan Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	88.0% Average amount $6,690	92.0% Average amount $6,698
Students receiving federal student loan	6.0% Average amount $5,026	2.0% Average amount $5,125
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $10,300	0.0% Average amount $0

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,377 Men 34.4% Women 65.6%	44,002 Men 40.7% Women 59.3%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	5.6%	0.9%
International students	0.4%	6.2%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	N/A	N/A
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Florida Georgia Alabama Texas Wisconsin	Florida New York New Jersey California Georgia

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Health Professions Law Enforcement and Firefighting Computer and Information Science Engineering Technologies	Liberal Arts Business Health Professions Law Enforcement and Firefighting Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	63.5%	34.7%
Dropout rate	25.8%	52.7%
Transferred out	7.4%	8.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $53,546 Year 2: $54,970 Year 3: $59,211 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $41,085 Year 2: $43,240 Year 3: $46,525 Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: $43,708 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $37,111 Year 2: $39,729 Year 3: $38,370 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $37,144 Year 2: $34,847 Year 3: $34,954 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $22,941 Year 2: $22,420 Year 3: $23,782 Culinary Arts and Related Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,824 Year 3: N/A Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $46,673 Year 3: N/A Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,114 Year 2: $50,270 Year 3: N/A Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $31,385 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $55,472 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $66,115 Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $49,136 Year 3: $45,492 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $47,959 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $44,836 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,243 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $39,504 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $43,063 Year 2: $54,435 Year 3: $38,626 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $23,150 Year 2: $22,217 Year 3: $29,518 Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $13,957 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $31,824 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $73,541 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $37,650 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A

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