Points of Pride
USF Points of Pride graphic. The USF letters take display an image of students socializing at Tampa campus.
- USF rose to #42 among public universities and #97 among all public and private universities in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) National University Rankings.
- USF ranks 29th among U.S. public institutions (marking the eleventh consecutive year ranked in the top 50) and in the top 250 best universities in the world according to the 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
- The University of South Florida is home to a student body of 49,776 students representing over 146 different countries.
- According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), USF Tampa ranks among the top 40 of the best U.S. public colleges and universities and is in the top 300 in the world (2022).
- According to the most recently published Top American Research Universities (TARU) report, USF Tampa remains ranked as a top 50 university among public institutions and is now ranked in the top 50 among all institutions (2020).
- USF ranks third among the 50 Most Affordable In-State Public Universities (AffordableColleges.com) (2020).
- USF Tampa was named one of the Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges (#34 in-state, #15 out-of-state) by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance for 2019.
- In 2018, USF was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest and most prestigious national honor organization in America.
- USF ranks in the top 50 of all public institutions according to Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges (2022).
- USF is now a "Preeminent State Research University", as designated by the Florida Board of Governors in June of 2018.
- The Institute of International Education has ranked USF 39th in the nation for all public institutions and 30th among public universities as a Leading Institution for Study Abroad in the 2017-2018 academic year, according to the most recent Open Doors annual report.
- U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranked USF Tampa as a Best College for Veterans (2022-2023).
- USF ranked 2nd in Florida and 19th among all public four-year U.S institutions in the 2021 Military Times Best: Colleges.
Image of male student socializing with female student. On the image the following ranking is displayed: #46 among public universities in the 2022 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) National University Rankings.
- The Princeton Review ranked USF in the top 50 best value college in 2022 for providing students with high-quality education and career readiness at an affordable cost
- USF is ranked among the best in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Online Education Program rankings. USF has three online graduate programs ranked in the top 100, including Education, Engineering, and the MBA program, which broke into the top 25. U.S. News also ranks the online MBA program No. 30 for veterans.
- USF's fall 2022 Freshman academic profile holds an average SAT SCORE OF 1308 and a HIGH SCHOOL GPA OF 4.2, which exceeds the Florida Board of Governors Preeminence benchmarks.
- Morsani College of Medicine 2026 Class is an academically talented class with an average MCAT score of 517 placing it among the 94th percentile nationally and a GPA of 3.89
- USF Tampa is recognized among the top 50 four-year public colleges and universities by The Chronicle of Higher Education (2019) for Best 6-year Graduation Rate for Pell Students. among 4-year public colleges and universities.
- USF is a recipient of the 2019 American Council on Education/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation, a recognition of USF’s commitment to student success.
- USF ranks first in Florida and 8th in the nation for reducing inequalities by Times Higher Education (2021).
- USF was home to 98 national scholarship and fellowship student awardees during the 2021-2022 academic year including Boren, Fulbright, Gilman, and Goldwater.
- USF ranks #4 in student success among 1,100 public research and doctoral universities according to the 2018 Eduventures Student Success ratings.
- USF is one of seven universities nationwide and the only university in Florida to earn the Active Minds Healthy Campus Award for promoting student health and well-being (2018).
- USF’s graduate-level programs continue to be ranked among the best according to the
2024 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Graduate School Rankings. USF graduate programs in the top 50 include:
Industrial and Organizational Psychology* (#3)
Audiology* (#18)
Criminology* (#18)
Public Health (#22)
Library and Information Studies* (#27)
Nursing - Master’s (#31)
Nursing – Doctor of Nursing Practice (#33)
Environmental Engineering (#44)
Rehabilitation Counseling (#46)
Physical Therapy* (49) - USF Tampa is ranked #9 in the nation and #1 among institutions in the south in the 2023 Princeton Review Best Graduate Entrepreneurship program rankings.
- U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranked USF Tampa as a Best College for Veterans (2022-2023).
- USF ranked 2nd in Florida and 19th among all public four-year U.S institutions in the 2021 Military Times Best: Colleges.
- USF is one of only 16 universities in the nation selected as a Tillman Partnership University of the Pat Tillman Foundation, a selection based on innovative veteran-specific support services and proven culture of community for military families.
- USF was designated as a Voter Friendly Campus two years in a row (voterfriendlycampus.org, 2021-22, 2023-24).
Two women working on a computer. In the image a ranking is displayed that says: Number 7 in the nation for top producers of Fulbright Scholars.
- USF faculty continue to earn national and international recognition. USF faculty earned 152 national and international awards in 2021, the second highest in USF’s history.
- The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked USF among the top 10 institutions in the nation for Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars, with 7 faculty scholars for the 2021-2022 academic year.
- In America’s Best Employers by State, USF ranks No. 21 out of 100 public and private employers across a wide array of industries and No. 2 among higher education institutions.
- In 2021, 10 USF faculty were elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious honors for academic research. USF currently has a total of 92 AAAS Fellows among its faculty.
- USF is among America’s best employers for women, according to a new list published by Forbes. USF ranks No. 22 on the list, which includes employers across a wide range of industries.
- The USF Chapter of the NAI has over 600 USF faculty, staff, students and alumni members, who collectively hold more than 2,900 U.S. patents (2022).
Image of a solar powered boating device in the ocean. The image displays text that reads: Number 8 in the nation among public universities, and 15th worlwide for granted U.S. patents.
- USF’s innovation and economic development efforts generate more than $582 million in statewide impact each year, sustain more than 4,000 jobs and return more than $71 million in tax revenue to local, state and federal coffers, according to a 2019 analysis from the Washington Economics Group, a leading national firm.
- The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FloridaInvents.org) was founded at USF in 2013. As of 2022, 58 outstanding Florida inventors have been elected, including 11 from USF.
- In FY2022, the Florida High Tech Corridor Matching Grant Research Program has awarded nearly $2 million to support research across five USF colleges, a 28 percent increase over last fiscal year. These funds, in part, will support 79 student research engagements with industry.
- USF had $405 million in total research expenditures in fiscal year 2020/21 (National Science Foundation HERD Survey).
- USF is 11th in the nation among public universities and 23rd worldwide among all universities for granted U.S. patents by Intellectual Property Owners Association/NAI (2022)
- In 2021, 10 USF faculty were elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious honors for academic research. USF currently has a total of 92 AAAS Fellows among its faculty.
- USF is one of 65 public research universities nationwide classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral University with “Very High Research Activity” and as a “Community Engaged” institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The title of “Very High Research Activity” is a distinction attained by less than 4% of all post-secondary institutions. USF is one of four public universities in the state of Florida classified as such (2022).
- USF is the founder and home of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) (AcademyofInventors.org), a non-profit member organization with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 U.S. universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes. The NAI’s nationally recognized Fellows program has 1,567 elected Fellows, including Nobel Laureates, U.S. National Medal of Technology & Innovation and National Medal of Science recipients and National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees, who collectively hold more than 53,000 issued patents.
- USF has 29 National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellows. The USF Chapter of the NAI has over 600 USF faculty, staff, students and alumni members, who collectively hold more than 2,900 U.S. patents (2022).
- USF is designated by the Association for Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University, one of only 71 in the nation (2022).
- USF won the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities' (APLU) 2019 Institutional Award for Global Learning, Research & Engagement. The Platinum Level APLU award focuses on four areas of excellence: inclusivity, internationalization of research and engagement, leadership and pervasiveness, and assessment.
- USF was awarded a record $568.1 million in research contracts and grants in fiscal year 2021. According to the National Institutes of Health, every $1.00 in research funding brings in $2.63 in local economic growth. In FY2020, USF’s $568.1 million in research funding generated over $1.5 billion in local economic growth.
- USF’s Tampa Bay Technology Incubator serviced 62 resident and affiliate companies this past year. Its current companies have created more than 453 jobs and received $186 million in funding to date. USF’s Student Innovation Incubator, which was launched in 2013 at the request of students eager to start their own companies, has supported 215 student-led companies to date, with approximately 27 new companies each year (FY2022).
A masked man holding a box at a market. In image text is displayed that reads: Number 2 for top-volunteer producing graduate schools.
- USF is one of 65 public research universities nationwide classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral University with “Very High Research Activity” and as a “Community Engaged” institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. (2022)
- USF was recognized as a top performer in the 2020 Sustainable Campus Index as an institution of higher education dedicated to energy reduction and the development and use of clean and renewable energy sources.
- USF is featured in Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges as an institution of higher education that demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability in its academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation (2023).
- USF had a total economic impact of $6.02 billion in fiscal 2019-20.
- With 16,277 employees, USF is the 14th largest public employer in Florida.
- In the 2019-20 fiscal year, USF-related direct spending, together with ripple effects, supported 68,704 jobs in Florida.
- USF spending generated more than $600 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.
- The university amassed a record total of $535.4 million in research contracts and grants, building a powerful research and innovation enterprise that produces new knowledge and technologies.
- U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranks USF 27th among U.S. public universities as a top performer in Social Mobility, which assesses an institution's success enrolling, retaining and graduating students who come from families with lower incomes and receive federal Pell Grants (2023).
- #1 in the nation for industry, innovation, and infrastructure related to sustainable development, Times Higher Education (THE), 2022
Boundless Bulls
Boundless Bulls is a collection of stories about what truly makes USF great, the people. It is a focus on our community footprint, our impact and the trajectory of where we can go together. Dive in and learn more about the everyday impact our students, faculty, staff and alumni are making within our community and beyond.
- USF is the winner of the Institute of International Education’s 2019 Heiskell Award for Access and Equity.
- The University of South Florida is a recipient of the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, which recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranks USF 27th among U.S. public universities as a top performer in Social Mobility, which assesses an institution's success enrolling, retaining and graduating students who come from families with lower incomes and receive federal Pell Grants (2023).
- USF ranks first in Florida and 8th in the nation for reducing inequalities by Times Higher Education (2021).
Woman volleyball player is about to bump the ball during a game. In the image text is displayed that reads: USF has had 16 alumni compete as athletes in the Olympic Games.
- USF Athletics serves nearly 500 student-athletes that train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the Tampa campus.
- USF fields 19 men’s and women’s varsity teams competing in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. That will become 20 teams in 2023-24 when the Bulls add women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport.
- USF has claimed 14 national championships, 13 by individuals and one team title as the women’s swimming team won the 1985 NCAA Division II national championship.
- USF has won 26 conference titles since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013, including six conference championship trophies claimed in 2020-21.
- Bulls have received 29 Conference Player or Rookie of the Year awards and 13 coaches or coaching staff have been named Coach of the Year since joining The American.
- USF has had nine different programs achieve a top 25 national ranking in the last four years.
- Bulls have earned 44 All-America honors since 2013.
- USF saw nine programs reach postseason competition in 2020-21.
- USF softball coach Ken Eriksen led the U.S. Olympic Women’s Softball Team to a silver medal for the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
- USF has had 16 alumni compete as athletes in the Olympic Games.
- USF football has made 10 bowl game appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25.
- USF football celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021 and is the fastest program in the state of Florida to reach 150 wins. The Bulls spent a program-record of 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
- Bulls have earned 23 Academic All-American honors, including four student-athletes that were twice honored.
- USF Athletics has posted a combined grade-point average over 3.0 for six straight years and is currently in the midst of a program record string of 13 straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0.
- USF Athletics has posted a Graduation Success Rate of 80 percent or better for seven straight years.
- USF has seen more than 450 student-athletes earn their degree since 2016-17.
- Prior to the pandemic, USF student-athletes, coaches and staff contributed 4,277 hours of community service in a year and logged more than 14,000 hours over a three-year period.
- USF has invested more than $70 million in recent years in renovating and maintaining some of the top athletic facilities in the nation and has broken ground on a $22 million Indoor Performance Center to be completed prior to the start of the 2022 season.
Man washing vegetables and herbs at an outdoor sink. In the image there is text that reads: Number 1 in Florida, Number 8 in the nation for the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings.
- USF is featured in Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges as an institution of higher education that demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability in its academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation (2023).
- USF was recognized as a top performer in the 2020 Sustainable Campus Index as an institution of higher education dedicated to energy reduction and the development and use of clean and renewable energy sources.
- USF Tampa ranks #57 for sustainability among public institutions (Sierra Club, 2021).
- USF ranks as the top university in Florida and fifth best in the nation according to the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings.
- #1 in the nation for industry, innovation, and infrastructure related to sustainable development, Times Higher Education (THE), 2022