University of Florida rose to the No. 7 public university in the country, Florida State University rose to No. 18, University of South Florida rose to No. 44, and UCF rose to No. 79, according to the U.S. News & World Report public university rankings announced today.
The ranking puts UF on the cusp of its goal to be named a top five public university. And it marks a huge milestone for FSU, which sailed past its goal of breaking into the top 25. Today’s announcement also marks the first time USF has ranked in the top 50 public universities.
UF climbed one spot, FSU climbed eight spots, USF climbed 14 spots, and UCF climbed eight spots.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced UF and FSU’s accomplishments on Monday morning in Gainesville and Tallahassee, respectively. He touted Florida’s No. 1 ranking for higher education for three years in a row and said that Florida’s reputation for providing an excellent education at a low cost goes a long way toward convincing businesses that Florida is a good place to grow and invest.
“There’s no question Florida is a top-tier destination for tourism and economic growth,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Now, these new rankings further solidify Florida as the number one public university system in the country – signaling to any potential employers and industry leaders that Florida will have the workforce and talent pool they need to thrive. Congratulations to both schools for their hard work and commitment to excellence in the Sunshine State.”
Board of Governors Chair Ned Lautenbach said, “Florida is dominating the national rankings, and that’s due to the work that we’re seeing on the ground back home. Our students are achieving a higher quality of education, they’re graduating faster, and they’re doing so at tuition levels that are among the lowest in the country.”
Factors considered in the public university rankings include graduation rates, class size, student-faculty ratio, and the number of students on Pell Grants.
Florida also had eight universities in the top 140. Florida International University ranked No. 105, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ranked No. 123 and University of North Florida and Florida Atlantic University tied at 140. U.S. News & World Report also recognized FAMU as the No. 2 public HBCU in the country.
“Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have prioritized higher education in Florida, and we are seeing the result of that commitment,” said Syd Kitson, vice chair of the Board of Governors. “The Board of Governors is focused on continuing to push for excellence, and the State University System’s success only motivates us to work harder to reach an even higher level of achievement.”
“In the past five years, Florida’s elected leaders have steered more than $1 billion to the State University System for performance funding and other strategic investments designed to improve outcomes,” said Marshall Criser III, State University System Chancellor. “The national recognition is a reflection of the hard work being done in this state, and it all points back to the opportunities we are creating for our students.”
Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The system has 12 universities and more than 345,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the system’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the system’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu, think-florida.org,or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.