Points of Pride
USF Points of Pride graphic. The USF letters take display an image of students socializing at Tampa campus.
Maintined by the Office of Decision Support and the Office of the Provost. Last Updated: January 2025
USF joins prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU).
USF is the first public university in Florida to be invited to join the AAU in nearly 40 years and is now one of only two institutions from the State University System of Florida to serve as an AAU member.
USF is also one of the youngest institutions to be welcomed into the AAU, a reflection of the university鈥檚 fast rise. Of the association鈥檚 now 71 members, USF is the fifth youngest and one of only six AAU universities to be founded after 1950.
- U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranks USF 45th among public universities and 91st among all public and private universities (2025).
- USF ranks 45th among U.S. public institutions (marking the eleventh consecutive year ranked in the top 50) in the world according to the 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
- The 哔咔漫画 is home to a student body of 48,732 students representing over 146 different countries.
- U.S. News ranks USF as the 鈥�best value鈥� among all Florida universities (2025).
- According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), USF Tampa ranks #49 of the best U.S. public colleges and universities (2024).
- 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 22nd among public institutions and 47th among all institutions according to the 2024 Washington Monthly National University Rankings.
- 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鈥� America鈥檚 Top Colleges (2024).
- 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 30th in the nation among all public institutions and 39th among doctoral universities as a Leading Institution Awarding Credit for Study Abroad in the 2020-2021 academic year, according to the most recent Open Doors annual report.
- U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranked USF 57th among the Best Colleges for Veterans ().
Image of male student socializing with female student. On the image the following ranking is displayed: Top 50 public universities for sixth year in a row. 2025 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) National University Rankings.
- The Princeton Review ranked USF in the top 50 best value college among public institutions for providing students with high-quality education and career readiness at an affordable cost (2025).
- USF is ranked among the best in the 2025 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Online Education Program rankings. USF has four online graduate programs ranked in the top 100, including Education, Engineering, and both MBA- and non-MBA business. U.S. News ranks the online MBA program in the top 25, second in the state of Florida, and #28 for veterans.
- USF's fall 2024 Freshman academic profile holds an average SAT score of 1306 and a high school GPA of 4.23, which exceeds the Florida Board of Governors Preeminence benchmarks.
- Morsani College of Medicine 2028 Class is an academically talented class with an average MCAT score of 520 placing it among the 97th percentile with a GPA of 3.95.
- USF is a recipient of the 2019 American Council on Education/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation, a recognition of USF鈥檚 commitment to student success.
- Times Higher Education Impact Rankings place USF in the top 100 universities in the U.S. for its sustainable development. USF is also leading in its efforts to end poverty, protect oceans and to strengthen partnerships throughout the world (2024).
- USF was home to 75 national scholarship and fellowship student awardees during the
2023-2024 academic year including Fulbright, Gilman, and Goldwater.
- USF鈥檚 graduate-level programs continue to be ranked among the best according to the
2025 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Graduate School Rankings. USF graduate programs in the top 50 include:
Industrial and Organizational Psychology 鈥� 3 (No. 1 in Florida)
Criminology 鈥� 18
Rehabilitation Counseling 鈥� 18 (No. 1 in Florida)
Audiology 鈥� 20 (No. 1 in Florida)
Nursing 鈥� Master鈥檚 鈥� 23 (No. 1 in Florida)
Public Health 鈥� 27 (No. 1 in Florida)
Library and Information Studies 鈥� 29
Business 鈥� Part鈥恡ime MBA 鈥� 38
Speech-Language Pathology 鈥� 39
Healthcare Management 鈥� 41
Nursing 鈥� Anesthesia 鈥� 41 (No. 1 in Florida)
Physical Therapy 鈥� 42
Medical 鈥� Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas/Medically Underserved Areas 鈥� 42
Engineering 鈥� Industrial/Manufacturing/Systems 鈥� 44
Education 鈥� Overall 鈥� 49 - USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is the top-ranked medical school in Florida and has been named the to the highest tier of medical schools in the nation according to U.S. News and World Report (2025).
- USF is ranked #10 in the nation and #2 among southern institutions in the 2025鈥疨rinceton Review鈥疊est Graduate Entrepreneurship program rankings.
- U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranked USF 57th among the Best Colleges for Veterans ().
- USF is one of only 18 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 (, 2021-22, 2023-24).
- For the second consecutive time, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge has recognized USF by awarding the Highly Established Action Plan Seal for a strong action plan to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement by promoting civic learning, political engagement, and college student voter participation ().
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 121 national and international awards in 2024.
- The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked USF among the top 15 institutions in the nation for Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars, with 6 faculty scholars for the鈥�2024-2025 academic year.
- In America鈥檚 Best Employers by State, USF ranks No. 1 among the state's public universities and No. 30 compared to employers across industries.
- In 2024, four USF faculty were elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which is recognized as one of the world鈥檚 most prestigious honors for academic research. As of February 2025, USF had a total of 95 AAAS Fellows among its faculty.
- USF is among America鈥檚 best employers for women in Education, according to a new list published by鈥疐orbes. USF ranks No. 19 on the list (2024).鈥�疐orbes also included USF on its national list of 500 鈥淒ream Employers鈥� (2024).
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鈥檚 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鈥�2019鈥痑nalysis from the鈥疻ashington Economics Group, a leading national firm.鈥��
- The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame established at the 哔咔漫画 in 2013, celebrates the state鈥檚 most visionary innovators whose breakthroughs have shaped industries and improved lives. As of 2024, 77 trailblazing inventors have been inducted, including 15 distinguished pioneers from USF, solidifying Florida鈥檚 legacy of ingenuity and impact on the world stage.
- In FY2024, the Florida High Tech Corridor Matching Grants Research Program awarded more than $1.7 million to support 20 research projects across six USF colleges. These funds, in part, support more than 70 student research engagements with industry.鈥�
- Through its Early-Stage Innovation Fund, the Corridor awarded $200,000 to support eight faculty as they further drive their innovations toward commercial viability and community impact. Projects focused on critical infrastructure, AI literacy, vaccine development, advancement in education, and beyond.
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The Florida High Tech Corridor and USF Research & Innovation deployed $110,000 for the second year in a row to support more than 70 students in undergraduate research programs across nine Colleges at USF.
- In fiscal year 2023, USF had more than $461 million in total research expenditures (National Science Foundation HERD Survey).
- USF is 14th in the nation among public universities and 34th worldwide among all universities in generating new patents (National Academy of Inventors, 2023).
- USF is one of 135 public research universities nationwide classified as a Doctoral
University with 鈥淰ery High Research Spending and Doctorate Production鈥� by the Carnegie
Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This classification is a distinction
only bestowed on universities with at least $50 million in annual research spending
and 70 research doctorates. USF is one of six public universities in the state of
Florida classified as such (2025).
- USF is the founder and home of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) (), a non-profit member organization with over 4,600 individual members, including fellows, senior members, and chapter members, affiliated with more than 260 institutions worldwide. The NAI鈥檚 nationally recognized fellows program has more than 2,068 elected fellows, including more than鈥�170鈥痯residents and senior leaders of research universities, governmental and non-profit research institutes; about鈥�755鈥痬embers of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine; about鈥�63鈥痠nductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame;鈥�70鈥痳ecipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation and U.S. National Medal of Science; and鈥�57鈥疦obel Laureates, among other awards and distinctions. Collectively, the Fellows hold more than鈥�68,000 issued U.S. patents, which have generated over鈥�20,000 licensed technologies, 4,000 companies鈥痑nd created more than鈥�1.2 million jobs. In addition, over鈥�$3.2 trillion in revenue鈥痟as been generated based on NAI Fellow discoveries. In addition, there are currently 715 Senior Members, holding almost 7,000 U.S. patents and representing over 100 NAI Member Institutions worldwide.
- USF is designated by the Association for Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University, one of only 91 in the nation (2024).
- USF won the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities' (APLU) 2019 Institutional Award for Global Learning, Research & Engagement and 2023 International Impact Award for Global Teaching and Learning. The Platinum Level APLU award focuses on areas of excellence, including: internationalization of research and engagement, leadership and pervasiveness, and assessment.
- USF achieved a record-breaking $738 million in research funding during fiscal year 2024 鈥� up nearly 7% over the previous year and an impressive increase of 35% since 2022.
- USF鈥檚 Tampa Bay Technology Incubator serviced 67 resident and affiliate companies this past year (FY2023). Its current companies have created more than 477 jobs and received $416 million in funding to date. USF鈥檚 Student Innovation Incubator, which was launched in 2013 at the request of students eager to start their own companies, has supported over 250 student-led companies to date, with approximately 26 new companies each year (FY2023).
- For the 12th consecutive year, the 哔咔漫画 is one of the nation's top 20 public research universities for producing new U.S. utility patents, according to a new ranking released today by the National Academy of Inventors. Based on the 82 new patents secured in 2024, USF is 16th among U.S. public research universities, 26th among all U.S. public or private universities and 38th among universities worldwide.
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 107 public research universities nationwide classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral University with 鈥淰ery High Research Activity鈥� by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The title of 鈥淰ery High Research Activity鈥� is a distinction attained by less than 4% of all post-secondary institutions. USF is one of five public universities in the state of Florida classified as such (2024).
- USF was recognized as a Silver Rated Institution in the Sustainable Campus Index.
- U.S. News ranks USF as the 鈥�best value鈥� among all Florida universities (2025).
- USF is featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 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 (2024).
- 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.
- 哔咔漫画 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 ranks USF No. 3 in Florida and No. 22 nationally for social mobility (2025).
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.
- U.S. News ranks USF as the 鈥�best value鈥� among all Florida universities (2025).
- Approximately 35% of 哔咔漫画 students receive a Pell grant, which is awarded to undergraduates from lower-income families (2023).
- U.S. News and World Report ranks USF No. 3 in Florida and No. 22 nationally for social mobility (2025).
- More than 4,000 哔咔漫画 students are the first in their families to attend college (2023).
- Reflecting USF鈥檚 impact on social mobility, approximately one in three new students in the fall 2023 class are eligible for Pell Grants, which is a federal financial aid program for students from lower-income families.
- 哔咔漫画 earns Collegiate Purple Star Campus designation, which recognizes higher education institutions that provide critical support to military-connected students and families (2024).
- In 2024, USF was designated a Network Member of鈥疐irst-Gen Forward鈥痜or its demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students.
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 who train and compete in the Tampa General Hospital Athletics District on the east end of the Tampa campus.
- USF fields 21 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 varsity teams, 20 of which compete at the NCAA Division I level. USF most recently added women鈥檚 lacrosse and beach volleyball to its varsity sports offerings.
- In the last six years, USF has had eight different programs achieve top 25 national rankings, including football and men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball.
- USF women鈥檚 basketball has been coached by Jose Fernandez since 2000 and has made ten appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Fernandez is the all-time winningest coach in program history and the all-time wins leader in the American Athletic Conference.
- Men鈥檚 indoor track and field, coached by Erik Jenkins, is one of USF鈥檚 programs on the rise. The men have won back-to-back conference championships and are nationally ranked in the Top 25.
- USF has claimed 16 national championships in varsity athletics, 15 by individuals and one team title as the women鈥檚 swimming team won the 1985 NCAA Division II national championship.
- USF has claimed 152 conference titles since it began intercollegiate athletic competition in 1965.
- USF has won 35 conference titles since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013.
- 141 哔咔漫画 student-athletes have earned All-America honors all-time.
- Since joining the American Athletic Conference, the Bulls have received 51 Conference Player or Rookie of the Year awards, and 18 coaches or coaching staff members have been named Coach of the Year.
- USF Athletics has posted a combined grade-point average over 3.0 for 20 straight semesters, a department record.
- More than 750 哔咔漫画 student-athletes have earned their degrees since 2015.
- Bulls have earned 24 Academic All-American honors, including five student-athletes that were twice honored.
- During the 2023-24 academic year, 哔咔漫画 student-athletes, coaches, and staff contributed 3,107 hours of community鈥痵ervice and they have logged more than 6,500 hours鈥痮ver a three-year鈥痯eriod.鈥�
- USF has had 22 alumni compete as athletes in the Olympic Games and one gold medalist in women鈥檚 soccer.
- 哔咔漫画 softball coach Ken Eriksen led the U.S. Olympic Women鈥檚 Softball Team to a silver
medal for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
- 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.
- In 2024, USF vs. Miami was the most attended home game in the American Athletic Conference (58,616), with more than 15,000 students, a record student crowd.
- Of the American鈥檚 top 10 most watched football games, USF was featured in two of them: USF vs. Alabama on ESPN (2.58 million) and USF vs. San Jose State (Hawai鈥檌 Bowl) on ESPN (1.93 million).
- USF football鈥檚 matchup with San Jose State in the Hawai鈥檌 Bowl was the most watched Hawai鈥檌 Bowl since 2019. There was a 104% increase in viewership in 2024 vs. 2023.
- In November 2024, USF broke ground on its on-campus stadium. The $340 million, 35,000-seat stadium and Tampa General Hospital Center for Athletic Excellence is set to open on the east end of the Tampa campus in 2027.
- USF has invested nearly $100 million in renovating and maintaining some of the top athletic facilities in the nation, including the $22 million Indoor Performance Facility that opened in 2023 and a master facilities plan that includes upgrades to all athletic facilities as USF positions itself as one of the finest athletic districts in all of college sports.
- The $2 million Bulls Broadcast and Video Productions Center inside the Muma Basketball Center streams more than 160 events annually on ESPN+, the most in the American Athletic Conference.
- The Lee Roy Selmon Athletic Center is the hub of USF Athletics and includes state-of-the art space for academic support services, life skills training, mentoring and team-building.
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In 2024, USF was one of the first in the country to announce the addition of a new NIL Strategy Unit to enhance student-athletes' visibility in the name, image, and likeness space.
- Since 2018, USF Athletics has nearly doubled its budget to $100 million.
- Bulls Club, the fundraising arm of USF Athletics, set a new record by raising over $42 million during the 2023-24 fiscal year. The club also reached an all-time high of 4,016 donors, marking a 12% year-over-year increase.
- Front Office Sports named USF Athletics one of the 鈥淏est College Athletic Departments" for 2024. The award is presented to institutions whose athletic departments serve as a national model for innovation and maximizing the success of their student-athletes.
- Notable former 哔咔漫画 student-athletes include: Chucky Atkins (men鈥檚 basketball), Jeff Attinella (men鈥檚 soccer), Jeff Cunningham (men鈥檚 soccer), B.J. Daniels (football), Quinton Flowers (football), Shane McClanahan (baseball), Jason Pierre-Paul (football), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (football), Courtney Williams (women鈥檚 basketball)
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鈥檚 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 (2025).
- USF was recognized as a Silver Rated Institution in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index.
- USF was named a Tree Campus USA庐 for the thirteenth consecutive year by the Arbor Day Foundation
- USF Tampa ranks #63 for sustainability among public institutions (Sierra Club, 2021).
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Times Higher Education Impact Rankings place USF in the top 100 universities in the U.S. for its sustainable development. USF is also leading in its efforts to end poverty, protect oceans and to strengthen partnerships throughout the world (2024).
- USF was named a Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists: Tampa Silver Award, St. Petersburg Bronze Award (2024)
- USF鈥檚 campuses each have a Green Energy Fund, funded by student fees, to support projects proposed by students, faculty and staff to reduce our campuses鈥� carbon footprint, environmentally friendly and sustainable.