Match #1
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL
Profile closeness87/100
Admit rate63%
- 13,874 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 57%, close to 60%
- Enrollment 13,874 students, close to 9,330
The colleges most similar to The University of West Florida are Florida Gulf Coast University, University of North Florida, and Florida Atlantic University. The University of West Florida admits 58% of applicants and has an average net price of $9,443 a year; 5 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 3 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with The University of West Florida. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to The University of West Florida
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate53%
- 13,359 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Enrollment 13,359 students, close to 9,330
- Acceptance rate 53%, close to 58%
Match #3
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL
Profile closeness77/100
Admit rate66%
- 23,757 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 64%, close to 60%
- Average net price $10,394, close to $9,443
Match #4
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
Profile closeness74/100
Admit rate21%
- 7,582 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 61%, close to 60%
- Enrollment 7,582 students, close to 9,330
Match #5
Florida Polytechnic University
Lakeland, FL
Profile closeness66/100
Admit rate58%
- 1,689 students
- Public
- Rural: Fringe
- Graduation rate 58%, close to 60%
- Acceptance rate 58%, close to 58%
Match #6
Eastern Florida State College
Cocoa, FL
Profile closeness63/100
Admit rate—
- 10,490 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Enrollment 10,490 students, close to 9,330
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
Seminole State College of Florida
Sanford, FL
Profile closeness60/100
Admit rate—
- 12,864 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 12,864 students, close to 9,330
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
New College of Florida
Sarasota, FL
Profile closeness60/100
Admit rate73%
- 843 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 62%, close to 60%
- Average net price $8,222, close to $9,443
Match #9
Pensacola State College
Pensacola, FL
Profile closeness59/100
Admit rate—
- 7,538 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 7,538 students, close to 9,330
- Average net price $7,933, close to $9,443
Match #10
Daytona State College
Daytona Beach, FL
Profile closeness59/100
Admit rate—
- 10,176 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 10,176 students, close to 9,330
- Same control type (public)
Questions about The University of West Florida alternatives
What colleges are similar to The University of West Florida?
The closest matches to The University of West Florida are Florida Gulf Coast University, University of North Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and Florida Polytechnic University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is The University of West Florida hard to get into?
The University of West Florida admitted 58% of its 8,660 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is moderately selective. 3 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which The University of West Florida alternatives cost less?
5 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than The University of West Florida ($9,443 a year), including Seminole State College of Florida ($3,904), Eastern Florida State College ($4,092), and Daytona State College ($4,419). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
