Points of Pride

Maintined by the Office of Decision Support and the Office of the Provost. Last Updated: October 2025

USF climbs to its highest position ever in U.S. News rankings

The 杏吧性世界 has reached an all-time high in U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 annual ranking of the best colleges. In the rankings released today, USF is No. 88 overall among all public or private universities in America, up from No. 91 last year. USF also rose to No. 43 among public universities, up two spots from last year, and inside the top 50 for the seventh year in a row. Over the past 10 years, USF has risen an impressive 40 spots among public universities from No. 83 to No. 43, and 71 spots among all universities, from No. 159 to No. 88.

Image of students in circle with overlay that reads "US News and World Report #43 among all public universities"

Academic Excellence

USF is a proud member of the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group the top 3% of universities in the United States, In 2023, USF became 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.
U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranks USF No. 43 among all public universities, marking seven consecutive years in the Top 50. Over the past 10 years, USF has risen 40 spots from No. 83 to No. 43 (2026).
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is ranked No. 1 in the state and among the nation鈥檚 top tier by USNWR (2025).
USNWR USF ranks No. 88 overall among all universities in America, its highest ranking ever. Over the past 10 years, USF has climbed 71 spots from No. 159 to No. 88 (2026).
USF is a "Preeminent State Research University", as designated by the Florida Board of Governors, placing USF in the highest tier of public universities in Florida and reflecting a commitment to student success, academic achievement, and research excellence.
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.
USF has hosted a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest and most prestigious national honor organization in America, since 2018.
USF's fall 2025 Freshman academic profile holds an average SAT score of 1321, the highest in USF history.
Morsani College of Medicine fall 2025 incoming class is an academically talented class with an average MCAT score of 520 placing it among the top 3% of the country.
鲍厂贵鈥檚 graduate-level programs continue to be ranked among the best according to the 2025 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Graduate School Rankings, with 31 graduate programs ranked inside the top 100 among all public and private institutions, including 15 ranked in the top 50 and five in the top 25 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

$4.8M Mellon Foundation grant opens internship opportunities for USF humanities students

For the first time, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation 鈥� the nation鈥檚 largest supporter of the arts and humanities 鈥� invited the 杏吧性世界 to submit a proposal last spring for one of its humanities internship grants. The offer presented an opportunity to transform the educational experience and career prospects for thousands of humanities students.

From left: Lauren Arrington, chair of the Department of English and principal investigator for the grant; Elizabeth Spiller, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Addye Buckley-Burnell, associate vice president and executive director of the Center for Career and Professional Development and co-principal investigator of the grant.

Career Readiness鈥�and Meeting Workforce Needs

USF is one of the top performing institutions in Florida on key employment metrics, including salaries earned by recent graduates and percentage of recent graduates who have jobs.
USF is a leader in helping address Florida鈥檚 workforce needs. About 68% of bachelor鈥檚 degrees and 74% of graduate degrees awarded at USF are in high-demand areas prioritized by the state, such as nursing, education, cybersecurity and other STEM fields.
USF received a $4.8M Mellon Foundation Grant to fund up to 900 student internships annually.
USF awards nearly 15,000 degrees each year, providing employers with a talented pipeline of highly skilled graduates.
鲍厂贵鈥檚 ExCEL QEP is transforming undergraduate education by embedding experiential learning鈥攊nternships, co-ops, student employment, and research鈥攊nto academic programs, equipping students with career-ready skills that lead to stronger job prospects and graduate school success.
鲍厂贵鈥檚 Center for Executive and Leadership Education is propelling the business community forward by equipping current and emerging executives with research-backed, custom-designed leadership training.

AAU membership helping accelerate 鲍厂贵鈥檚 impact

鲍厂贵鈥檚 membership in the has become a springboard to an array of benefits for the USF community, Tampa Bay region and state of Florida. From the successful recruitment and retention of world-class faculty and students to more corporations and community organizations inquiring and establishing new partnerships with the university 鈥� AAU membership is fueling 鲍厂贵鈥檚 momentum in significant ways.

Value, Affordability and Opportunity

U.S. News ranks USF as the No.12 鈥渂est value鈥� among all public universities in the nation (2026).
U.S. News ranks USF No. 17 nationally among public universities for social mobility (2026).
No. 18 Best Colleges for your Tuition and Tax Dollars among public universities nationally, according to Washington Monthly.
U.S. News ranks USF No. 42 among public universities on its list of best colleges for veterans (2026).
More than 7,000 USF students are the first in their families to attend college (2024).
In 2024, USF was designated a Network Member of First-Gen Forward for its demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students.
USF earns Collegiate Purple Star Campus designation, which recognizes higher education institutions that provide critical support to military-connected students and families (2024).
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 offers an opportunity to earn a degree from a highly ranked institution and member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group of the leading 3% of universities in the United States, at a cost for in-state students of nearly half the national average for public universities.
Youth Experiences summer camps program is the 2025 winner of .

USF is well represented among Tampa Bay Innovation Award winners

Four companies and a nonprofit organization led or founded by University of South Florida alumni, two Cyber Florida programs, a former USF CONNECT Student Innovation Incubator company, an AI hub developed at USF, and a Tampa General Hospital partnership are among the 23 recipients of Tampa Bay Inno Awards at a ceremony hosted by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Two scientists in front of test tubes doing research

Research & Innovation

U.S. News ranks USF as the 19th most innovative school in the nation among public universities (2026).
For the 12th consecutive year, USF is one of the nation's top 20 public research universities for producing new U.S. utility patents, according to the National Academy of Inventors.
USF CONNECT鈥檚 Tampa Bay Technology Incubator, Evolve Accelerator and Student Innovation Incubator serviced 73 resident and affiliate companies in FY 2024, creating over 750 jobs and receiving more than $500 million in funding.
USF continues to earn national recognition for research impact among public institutions in the 2025 Washington Monthly rankings as one of the Top 50 Best Colleges for Research.
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 is No. 2 in Florida and No. 41 in the nation among public universities for HERD research expenditures in FY23.
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 Florida Inventors Hall of Fame established at the 杏吧性世界 in 2013, celebrates the state鈥檚 most visionary innovators whose breakthroughs have shaped industries and improved lives.
USF is a partner institution of the NSF I-Corps Southeastern Hub driving innovation and entrepreneurship:

-350 teams trained to bring concepts to market
-23 startups founded
-$12.5M in startup funding
USF is home to the international headquarters of the Global Virus Network, a distinguished organization of top virologists advancing lifesaving vaccines and treatments with more than 80 centers of excellence and affiliates in more than 40 countries around the world.

Trustees approve updated USF stadium plan, paving the way for full construction to move forward

Construction on the 杏吧性世界鈥檚 transformational new on-campus stadium will soon ramp up significantly following the latest approval from the university鈥檚 Board of Trustees.

Athletics

USF Athletics sponsors 21 varsity sports, with 20 of those competing at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference, including recent additions of women鈥檚 lacrosse and women鈥檚 beach volleyball.
USF has continued to elevate its national athletic profile, with six teams earning Top 25 national rankings over the past year, including the football program making its return to the Top 25 in Fall 2025. In total, nine USF teams earned national postseason selections during the previous academic year.
The Bulls have claimed 154 conference championships across 16 different sports, with 82 titles in men鈥檚 programs and 72 in women鈥檚. Men鈥檚 tennis and men鈥檚 soccer lead the way with 20 titles each, while women鈥檚 tennis (14) and volleyball (13) have set the pace on the women鈥檚 side.
The Bulls have claimed 16 individual or relay national titles in varsity sports鈥攎ost recently the men鈥檚 4x400-meter relay team at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships鈥攁long with one NCAA team title by the women鈥檚 swimming team in 1985. Beyond NCAA-sanctioned events, USF has also enjoyed success in cheerleading, earning seven UCA College National Championships, as well as titles at the ICU Premier World Cup and USA Grand Championship.
USF student-athletes have garnered a combined 337 All-America honors, with 17 of those awarded during the 2023鈥�25 competition years. In addition, 18 individuals have earned a total of 24 Academic All-America recognitions.
USF student-athletes have achieved a departmental GPA of 3.0 or higher for 21 consecutive semesters as of Spring 2025. In Fall 2024, student-athletes recorded a program-best 3.46 GPA and 361 were recognized on the Honor Roll in Spring 2025.
USF student-athletes have logged more than 2,400 volunteer hours over the past two years, including a record 3,007 hours in 2023鈥�24. These efforts supported over 45 organizations throughout the Tampa Bay area during the 2024鈥�25 academic year.
USF has been represented by 22 Olympians, who have competed in six sports across 13 countries, including 21 in the Summer Olympics and one in the Winter Olympics.
USF is preparing to open a transformational, 35,000-seat on-campus stadium in Fall 2027, which will feature multiple premium seating options, a rooftop lounge and an 8,000-seat student section complete with its own DJ booth. The project also includes the TGH Center for Athletic Excellence, the USF Federal Credit Union Champions Way and tree-lined tailgating areas, all designed to enhance the gameday experience for fans.
In recognition of its innovation and dedication to student-athlete success, USF Athletics was named one of the 鈥淏est College Athletic Departments鈥� in the nation by Front Office Sports in 2024. The department also topped the Learfield Directors鈥� Cup standings among American Conference institutions for the 2024鈥�25 academic year, further solidifying its status as a model of excellence in collegiate athletics.

USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing to ignite Tampa Bay鈥檚 tech talent

Students and prestigious faculty members began laying the foundation for the new college decades ago with their passion for research. Across 鲍厂贵鈥檚 campuses, students are already immersed in using AI and cybersecurity to address real-world challenges.

Impact

USF generates more than $6.02 billion in annual economic output, $600 million in tax revenue, and supports 68,704 jobs.
USF has been recognized for voter engagement and nonpartisan civic learning, as a Voter Friendly Campus with a Highly Established Action Plan Seal.
USF is designated by the Association of 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 USF Foundation awards more than $10 million in privately funded scholarships to USF degree-seeking students each academic year.
鲍厂贵鈥檚 partnership with Tampa General Hospital powers a leading academic medical center that advances innovative clinical research, trains future physicians and delivers cutting-edge care that improves outcomes for patients. USF Health鈥檚 1,000-plus health care providers offer more than 30 specialty areas and serve more than one million patients each year.
Powered by a university-record $40 million gift, in 2025 USF opened the nation鈥檚 first named college focused on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and computing. The pioneering Bellini College is home to more than 3,000 students with plans to continue to grow in the coming years, helping position the Tampa Bay region as a global leader in these fields.
鲍厂贵鈥檚 commitment to sustainability is nationally recognized 鈥� featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Guide to Green Colleges (2025) and honored as a Silver Rated Institution in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index.

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.

Faculty & Staff Excellence

USF is among the top 15 institutions in the nation for Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars, with 9 faculty scholars for the鈥�2025-2026 academic year.
In 2024, 11 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 ranks No.19 for America鈥檚 best employers for women in Education, according to a new list published by鈥�Forbes. 鈥�Forbes also included USF on its national list of 500 鈥淒ream Employers鈥� (2024).
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.