Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University's published cost of attendance is $21,522, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $3,022 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $8,106, and higher-income families pay approximately $16,854.

Azimuth ranks Florida Atlantic University #76 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Florida Atlantic University participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and the gap between sticker price and net price is most pronounced for lower-income families — a pattern consistent with public universities that rely heavily on Pell Grants and state grant programs to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Families seeking to understand how [net price and sticker price can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) should look beyond the published cost of attendance when comparing options.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,236, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $59,690, median federal debt of $17,236 projects to a monthly payment of about $195 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Florida Atlantic University earn median earnings of $42,800 four years after enrollment, placing Florida Atlantic University in the 45th percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $44,200 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn below expectations, placing the institution in the 35th percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to Florida's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $29,000, the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.

While institution-level median earnings track Florida's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Business Administration and Management combines large cohort scale with solid earnings, making it a central part of Florida Atlantic University's degree output.

Azimuth ranks Registered Nursing 55th for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 1,000 graduates earning median earnings of $67,800 — 1.1x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration and Management program graduates 900 students with median earnings of $47,800, and Azimuth ranks the program 95th for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Accounting 90th for median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Criminal Justice and Criminal Justice ranks 105th for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business is the dominant program family, with Business representing 29% of degrees, followed by Health Professions at 19% and Psychology at 7%.

Florida Atlantic University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 23% of degree output — the largest concentration by family. Engineering follows at 5% and Social Sciences at 5%, giving the university a business-and-health-oriented portfolio typical of large institutions in South Florida's service-driven economy.

Across 54 programs serving roughly 6,102 students annually, 44 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad base that reflects the university's comprehensive scope. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in applied business and health fields.

Azimuth ranks Nursing #96 among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 374 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $91,953. Azimuth ranks Accounting #93 among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 272 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $77,465.

Biology, General is the university's largest program by cohort size at 491 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #241 among nonprofit four-year institutions with median 4-year earnings of $47,707. Nursing (374 graduates, $91,953) and Psychology, General (328 graduates, $48,754) round out the high-enrollment programs, each contributing scale to the institution's overall earnings profile.

Several of Florida Atlantic University's strongest programs — particularly Nursing, Finance, and Digital Marketing — feed directly into high-demand sectors where supply and demand for college graduates remain favorable in Florida's growing metro markets. Programs like Business Administration and Criminal Justice serve larger cohorts at more moderate early-career earnings, reflecting pathways where graduate study or credential stacking may extend the full return beyond the four-year earnings window.