Florida State vs. USF Main Campus

Should I go to Florida State University or University of South Florida Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Florida State or USF Main Campus is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Florida State University vs. University of South Florida Main Campus comparison
Florida State University University of South Florida Main Campus College 3 College 4
Florida State University University of South Florida Main Campus
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Overview

Florida State USF Main Campus
Location Tallahassee, FL Tampa, FL
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 43,234 48,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #199 #413
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fsu.edu usf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida State USF Main Campus
Tuition (In State) $4,022 $4,559
Tuition (Out of State) $16,540 $15,473
Room & Board $12,740 $13,595
Avg Net Price $14,903 $11,578
Avg Grant Aid $8,731 $10,012
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 81%

Admission

Florida State USF Main Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,038 65,187
Admitted 18,793 26,699
Acceptance Rate 25.4% 41%
Enrolled % 31.3% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.64
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 27/31 24/29
SAT Range 1240/1390 1140/1330
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

Florida State USF Main Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

Florida State USF Main Campus
Graduation Rate 74% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,750 $19,147
Median Loan Payment $214 $197

Diversity

Florida State USF Main Campus
% Men 10% 9%
% Women 16% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 64% 51%
% Black 8% 11%
% Hispanic 19% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Florida State USF Main Campus
% In-State 83% 80%
% Out-of-State 16% 13%

Campus

Florida State USF Main Campus
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than Florida State based on total student enrollment (48,572 students vs. 43,234 students)

Florida State vs. USF Main Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida State or USF Main Campus?

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is 13.4% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($4,559.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.9% higher at Florida State than University of South Florida Main Campus ($16,540.00 vs. $15,473.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than Florida State ($11,578 vs. $14,903)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 6.7% lower than costs at University of South Florida Main Campus ($12,740 vs. $13,595)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than University of South Florida Main Campus (86% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Florida Main Campus students is 14.7% larger than aid received Florida State University ($10,012 vs. $8,731)

Florida State vs. USF Main Campus Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Florida State or USF Main Campus? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USF Main Campus or Florida State .

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 38 points higher than at USF Main Campus (1177)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at USF Main Campus (26)
  • Accepted freshman Florida State students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at USF Main Campus (3.64)
  • USF Main Campus has a higher acceptance rate (41%) than Florida State (25.4%)

Florida State vs. USF Main Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida State or USF Main Campus? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between USF Main Campus and Florida State.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (74% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Florida State University earn on average $4,900 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $46,500)
  • University of South Florida Main Campus students graduate with a $1,603 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($19,147 vs. $20,750)
  • USF Main Campus graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($197 vs. $214)
  • More Florida State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/