Old Dominion 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%, Old Dominion admits 90.4%.
Real money goes to international students at Old Dominion ($16,000 on average), while Central Florida stops at $928.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Old Dominion starts at $55,051 against $42,038 and ends at $24,614 against $30,224 (Central Florida).
A rare case with no trade-off: Central Florida both costs less ($24,076 against $33,885) and delivers a higher median salary after a decade ($58K against $55K, Old Dominion).
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 90.4% acceptance). Central Florida ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#801-900 vs #401-500). Central Florida graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($58K vs $55K). Central Florida has lower sticker-price tuition ($24,076 vs $33,885 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 Old Dominion for: a larger aid package.
Choose Central Florida for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Central Florida is more selective (44.71% vs 90.4% acceptance); Central Florida has a higher median SAT (1260 vs 1197).
Central Florida graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($58K vs $55K); Central Florida has a higher 6-year graduation rate (78% vs 46.3%).
Central Florida has lower sticker-price tuition ($24,076 vs $33,885); Old Dominion offers a larger average aid package ($30,437 vs $11,814).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Old Dominion | Central Florida |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #801-900 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 90.4% | 44.71% |
| Yield rate | 19.9% | 33.5% |
| Median SAT | 1197 | 1260 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.45 | 4.16 |
| Number of applications | 15,100 | 55,135 |
| International students | 1.3% | 3.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $55K | $58K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $37K | $39K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $80K | $86K |
| Graduation rate | 46.3% | 78% |
| Retention rate | 77% | 92.3% |
| Median debt | $24,000 | $18,190 |
| Tuition · year | $33,885 | $24,076 |
| Avg. aid package | $30,437 | $11,814 |
| % of need met | 53% | 65% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,043 | $20,529 |
| Application fee | $50 | $30 |
| Enrollment | 23,743 | 69,338 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Old Dominion or Central Florida?
It's harder to get into Central Florida. Old Dominion accepts 90.4% of applicants, while Central Florida accepts 44.71%.
Do Old Dominion or Central Florida graduates earn more?
Central Florida graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $58K vs $55K.
How much is tuition at Old Dominion vs Central Florida?
Sticker-price tuition is $33,885 per year at Old Dominion and $24,076 per year at Central Florida.
What SAT score do you need for Old Dominion or Central Florida?
The median admitted SAT score is 1197 at Old Dominion and 1260 at Central Florida; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Old Dominion or Central Florida?
Central Florida ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #801-900 for Old Dominion vs #401-500 for Central Florida.
Which university offers more financial aid - Old Dominion or Central Florida?
The average aid package is $30,437 at Old Dominion and $11,814 at Central Florida.
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