Houston vs Central Florida - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Central Florida admits 44.7%, Houston admits 73.9%.
Neither is international in practice: the share of foreign students does not exceed 5.7%.
A larger share of the cohort is carried to a degree by Central Florida (78%) than by its rival (64.6%).
First-year retention, the closest measure we hold to satisfaction with a course, is 92.3% (Central Florida) against 87%.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Central Florida is the more selective of the two (44.71% vs 73.92% acceptance). Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #401-500). Houston graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($62K vs $58K). Central Florida has lower sticker-price tuition ($24,076 vs $27,926 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Houston for: a higher world ranking, higher graduate earnings, a larger aid package.
Choose Central Florida for: higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate, higher retention.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Central Florida is more selective (44.71% vs 73.92% acceptance); Central Florida has a higher median SAT (1260 vs 1240).
Houston graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($62K vs $58K); Central Florida has a higher 6-year graduation rate (78% vs 64.6%).
Central Florida has lower sticker-price tuition ($24,076 vs $27,926); Houston offers a larger average aid package ($16,450 vs $11,814).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Houston | Central Florida |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 73.92% | 44.71% |
| Yield rate | 26.5% | 33.5% |
| Median SAT | 1240 | 1260 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.49 | 4.16 |
| Number of applications | 31,716 | 55,135 |
| International students | 5.7% | 3.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $58K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $39K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $86K |
| Graduation rate | 64.6% | 78% |
| Retention rate | 87% | 92.3% |
| Median debt | $18,194 | $18,190 |
| Tuition · year | $27,926 | $24,076 |
| Avg. aid package | $16,450 | $11,814 |
| % of need met | 55.1% | 65% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $21,819 | $20,529 |
| Application fee | $75 | $30 |
| Enrollment | 47,980 | 69,338 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Houston or Central Florida?
It's harder to get into Central Florida. Houston accepts 73.92% of applicants, while Central Florida accepts 44.71%.
Do Houston or Central Florida graduates earn more?
Houston graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $62K vs $58K.
How much is tuition at Houston vs Central Florida?
Sticker-price tuition is $27,926 per year at Houston and $24,076 per year at Central Florida.
What SAT score do you need for Houston or Central Florida?
The median admitted SAT score is 1240 at Houston and 1260 at Central Florida; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Houston or Central Florida?
Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Houston vs #401-500 for Central Florida.
Which university offers more financial aid - Houston or Central Florida?
The average aid package is $16,450 at Houston and $11,814 at Central Florida.
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