About
The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, United States, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF is home to 14 colleges, offering more than 240 undergraduate, graduate, specialist, and doctoral-level degree programs. USF is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and is designated by the Florida Board of Governors as one of three Preeminent State Research Universities.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates, a notably small equity gap.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 243 Title IV programs, 99 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 144 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing99 · 40.7%
- No Data144 · 59.3%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 28
Action history · 25
- Dec 2025Renewal of AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jan 2025Grant Substantive Change: OtherAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
- Apr 2024Institution ClosedCommission on English Language Program Accreditation · English Language
- Jan 2024Approved for Distance EducationAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
- Jan 2024Voluntary Withdrawal ReceivedAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 14,903 students received $90.0M in Pell grants, alongside $161.0M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 9,299 borrowers who entered repayment, 113 (1.2%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at University of South Florida
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 12
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus200
- Non-campus1
- Public property4
Includes 10 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Religion2
- Gender1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Holly Apartments A1 fireSmoking materialsDamage $0-$99
- Pelican Resident Hall One1 fireCookingDamage $0-$99
Data quality: 14 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
University of South Florida vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions University of South Florida selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectUniversity of South Florida | 77% | — | 49,622 | $9,812 | R1 Research |
| 68% | 89.9% | 79,818 | $14,967 | R1 Research | |
| 67% | 88.5% | 34,096 | $21,279 | R1 Research | |
| 86% | 24.2% | 43,889 | $11,297 | R1 Research | |
| 94% | 14.1% | 53,363 | $12,116 | R1 Research | |
| 85% | 41.7% | 38,464 | $17,303 | R1 Research | |
| 84% | 58.1% | 52,269 | $24,406 | R1 Research | |
| 76% | 49.0% | 26,689 | $18,784 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 74.2% | 31,903 | $20,995 | R1 Research | |
| 64% | 88.2% | 20,905 | $18,749 | R1 Research | |
| 87% | 28.6% | 37,297 | $14,251 | R1 Research | |
| 86% | 26.7% | 44,256 | $12,470 | R1 Research | |
| 78% | 40.1% | 69,713 | $10,411 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 85.3% | 45,026 | $25,648 | R1 Research | |
| 91% | 24.2% | 56,311 | $6,541 | R1 Research | |
| 90% | 37.7% | 43,146 | $13,936 | R1 Research | |
| 62% | 77.4% | 33,906 | $10,974 | R1 Research | |
| 85% | 58.1% | 35,724 | $30,434 | R1 Research | |
| 65% | 86.0% | 36,894 | $16,200 | R1 Research | |
| 86% | 54.8% | 38,857 | $24,953 | R1 Research | |
| Peer group median | 81% | 54.8% | 41,002 | $15,584 |
Institutions like University of South Florida
Explore the federal data for institutions in University of South Florida's comparison group.
- R1 ResearchArizona
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Grad rate68%Admit rate89.9%Enrollment79,818Net price$14,967View data - R1 ResearchColorado
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Grad rate67%Admit rate88.5%Enrollment34,096Net price$21,279View data - R1 ResearchFlorida
Florida State University
Grad rate86%Admit rate24.2%Enrollment43,889Net price$11,297View data - R1 ResearchGeorgia
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Grad rate94%Admit rate14.1%Enrollment53,363Net price$12,116View data - R1 ResearchNorth Carolina
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Grad rate85%Admit rate41.7%Enrollment38,464Net price$17,303View data - R1 ResearchNew Jersey
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Grad rate84%Admit rate58.1%Enrollment52,269Net price$24,406View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Stony Brook University
Grad rate76%Admit rate49.0%Enrollment26,689Net price$18,784View data - R1 ResearchNew York
University at Buffalo
Grad rate75%Admit rate74.2%Enrollment31,903Net price$20,995View data - R1 ResearchAlabama
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Grad rate64%Admit rate88.2%Enrollment20,905Net price$18,749View data - R1 ResearchCalifornia
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate87%Admit rate28.6%Enrollment37,297Net price$14,251View data - R1 ResearchCalifornia
University of California-San Diego
Grad rate86%Admit rate26.7%Enrollment44,256Net price$12,470View data - R1 ResearchFlorida
University of Central Florida
Grad rate78%Admit rate40.1%Enrollment69,713Net price$10,411View data - R1 ResearchOhio
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Grad rate75%Admit rate85.3%Enrollment45,026Net price$25,648View data - R1 ResearchFlorida
University of Florida
Grad rate91%Admit rate24.2%Enrollment56,311Net price$6,541View data - R1 ResearchGeorgia
University of Georgia
Grad rate90%Admit rate37.7%Enrollment43,146Net price$13,936View data - R1 ResearchIllinois
University of Illinois Chicago
Grad rate62%Admit rate77.4%Enrollment33,906Net price$10,974View data - R1 ResearchPennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Grad rate85%Admit rate58.1%Enrollment35,724Net price$30,434View data - R1 ResearchUtah
University of Utah
Grad rate65%Admit rate86.0%Enrollment36,894Net price$16,200View data - R1 ResearchVirginia
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Grad rate86%Admit rate54.8%Enrollment38,857Net price$24,953View data
University of South Florida Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The mission of Institutional Research Effectiveness & Assessment (IREA) is to facilitate research excellence by identifying, mitigating and managing risks in order to realize operational efficiency.
Visit IR office page- Joe BoydAssistant Director, Faculty Affairs & Institutional Effectiveness
Common Data Set
University of South Florida's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Reports & documents (6)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionInstitutional Data and Reports | Office of Decision Support | University of South FloridaThe University of South Florida's Office of Decision Support is responsible for providing student data and completing formal reporting for state and federal requirements, such as SUS Accountability Plans and IPEDS. The office also provides important resources like the Common Data Set and the Fact Book. This ensures a standardized collection of institutional data points to report key information.usf.edu
- Data dictionaryData dictionary2026The University of South Florida's Office of Decision Support provides a comprehensive range of resources related to data administration, governance, and accreditation. It includes tools and reports for academic analytics, career readiness, student success, and university performance analytics. It covers data policies, roles and responsibilities, and provides links to resources such as the Florida Board of Governors and legislative information. The page also mentions submission schedules and resubmission policies relevant to institutional data governance.usf.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookUniversity of South Florida Fact Book, 20002000A statistical fact book for the University of South Florida for 2000-2001, divided into ten sections covering university history, characteristics, and metrics on students, courses, faculty, resources, and more.digitalcommons.usf.edu
- GlossaryAssessment Glossary | Office of Decision Support | University of South FloridaThe glossary from the University of South Florida provides detailed definitions and explanations of terms related to assessment in an educational context. It includes terms such as 'Alignment,' 'Assessment,' 'Benchmarking,' 'Competency,' 'Direct Measures of Assessment,' and 'Calibration,' among others. The glossary serves as a resource for understanding the systematic processes involved in evaluating and improving student learning outcomes, as well as meeting accountability demands. It offers insights into the planning, implementation, and improvement strategies essential for effective academic program assessment.usf.edu
- Strategic planMapping USF's Future2026The University of South Florida's strategic plan, 'Mapping USF's Future,' was launched in 2026 under the guidance of President Moez Limayem. This plan aims to evolve USF into a next-generation university that anticipates the future of higher education rather than simply responding to it. By focusing on becoming a model AAU university, the plan emphasizes strategic planning, resource allocation, and shared accountability to set new national standards in education, innovation, and impact.usf.edu
Grants & funding (2)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of University of South Florida (13)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Douglas J. BarrettAcademics
- Alan BossAcademics
- Jeff BradstreetAcademics
- Michele ElliottAcademics
- Bartley Christopher FruehAcademics
- Lee KumpAcademics
- Rhea LawAcademics
- Saraju MohantyAcademics
- Michael RaoAcademics
- Julia R. BurdgeAcademics
- Roberto González EchevarríaAcademics
- David MendelblattAcademics
Frequently asked questions about University of South Florida
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about University of South Florida.
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About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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