Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL · Public · Midsize city · Carnegie R1/R2 · F. S. U. · F.S.U. · FSU · Fl State · Fl State University · Fl. State · Fl. State University · Fla. State · Fla. State University · Florda State University · Flordia State University · Florida State · Florida State Seminoles · Florida State Univerisity · Florida State University Seminoles · Florida State Unversity · Floridia State University · Noles · Seminoles · The Florida State University
Public institution in Tallahassee, FL · 31,812 undergraduates · 25% acceptance rate · $61,675 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 2%Undergraduates
- Top 6%Full-time retention
- Top 6%Acceptance rate
- Top 8%Graduation rate (4-year)
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $10,997382nd cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $5,656193rd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $18,786766th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $23,683602nd cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $18,000456th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $61,675486th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $49,814550th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 83.0%171st highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 95.6%117th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 25.4%96th most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1323165th highest of 1,022 reporting
- Median ACT
- 28177th highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 31,81244th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 17.0:11,581st smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 23.8%1,519th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 201 mi (TPA)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- EAOct 15
- RDDec 1
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $30
- Personal essay
- Required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 78 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $69,617 | $68,918 |
| Chemical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $68,965 | $68,305 |
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $66,020 | $71,015 |
| Industrial EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $65,573 | $71,643 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $64,068 | $61,303 |
| Management Information Systems and ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $62,366 | $61,218 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusiness | bachelors | $61,303 | $60,878 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $58,152 | $58,568 |
| InsuranceBusiness | bachelors | $57,705 | $54,646 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $56,133 | $54,252 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $54,880 | $58,923 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $53,438 | $50,894 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1851source
- Athletic nickname: "Seminoles"source
- Doak Campbell Stadium seats about 79,560source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- Motto: "Vires, Artes, Mores (Latin)"source
- Formerly known as "Florida Institute" (1854–1857)source
- Formerly known as "Tallahassee Female Academy" (1843–1858)source
- Formerly known as "West Florida Seminary (1857–1860; 1865–1901)"source
- Formerly known as "The Florida Military and Collegiate Institute" (1860–1865)source
- Formerly known as "The Literary College of the University of Florida" (1883–1885)source
- Formerly known as "University of Florida" (1885–1903)source
- Formerly known as "Florida State College" (1901–1905)source
- Formerly known as "Florida Female College (1905)"source
- Formerly known as "Florida State College for Women" (1905–1947)source
- Football rivalry: Clemson–Florida State (since 1970)source
- Plays for the "Florida Cup" (since 1958)source
- Plays for the "Florida Cup" (since 1951)source
- Plays for the "Jefferson–Eppes Trophy" (since 1992)source
- Plays for the "Coastal Classic Trophy{{Cite web|url=https://spacecoastdaily.com/2019/10/florida-tech-welcome-coastal-classic-rival-west-florida-for-homecoming-game-saturday/|title=Florida Tech Panthers Welcome Coastal Classic Rival West Florida for Homecoming Game {{!}}|date=October 26, 2019 |publisher=spacecoastdaily.com|access-date=November 22, 2019}}" (since 2016)source
- Fight song: ""The Fight Song""source
- Notable alum: Jim Morrisonsource
- Notable alum: Richard Simmonssource
- Notable alum: Faye Dunawaysource
- Notable alum: Burt Reynoldssource
- Notable alum: Hunter S. Thompsonsource
Athletics — 11 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $7,831,248 (M $4,242,850 · W $3,588,398)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Beach Volleyball
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Soccer: 2025, 2023, 2021, 2018, 2014
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Florida State University’s 31,812 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In FL
- University of FloridaGainesville, FL · 34,102 undergrads
- Miami Dade CollegeMiami, FL · 35,001 undergrads
- Valencia CollegeOrlando, FL · 35,125 undergrads
- University of South FloridaTampa, FL · 36,299 undergrads
- Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FL · 25,195 undergrads
- Florida International UniversityMiami, FL · 38,761 undergrads
Elsewhere
- University of California-DavisDavis, CA · 31,777 undergrads
- University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA · 31,588 undergrads
- University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO · 31,578 undergrads
- Purdue University GlobalWest Lafayette, IN · 31,502 undergrads
- Brigham Young UniversityProvo, UT · 32,221 undergrads
- University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · 31,310 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitefsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 134097)
- Compare colleges in FLRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in FloridaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with University of FloridaSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Florida State University vs University of FloridaHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 11 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.