University of South Florida acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 43%, University of South Florida is a selective public university in Florida. Because it admits a minority of applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what University of South Florida weighs, where it ranks among Florida schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1320, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
University of South Florida application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at University of South Florida?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of South Florida?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of South Florida, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of South Florida?
University of South Florida admits roughly 43% of applicants, but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of South Florida in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of South Florida hard to get into?
University of South Florida is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 43% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into University of South Florida?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of South Florida, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. University of South Florida reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of South Florida by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of South Florida for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of South Florida with a 3.5 GPA and a 1230 SAT?
About 59% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1230 SAT, the middle of University of South Florida's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1320 SAT comes out near 80%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-south-florida.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at University of South Florida
From University of South Florida's own 2025-26 Common Data Set (fall 2025 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
Does University of South Florida have early decision?
No. University of South Florida reported no Early Decision plan in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
What is the transfer acceptance rate at University of South Florida?
53.1%: 6,098 of 11,480 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2025 (University of South Florida's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
Source: University of South Florida Common Data Set 2025-26. Read from the document twice independently; only matching figures are shown. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into University of South Florida
Built from University of South Florida's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Here is how to get into University of South Florida, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of South Florida carries about a 3.53 core GPA and a 1270 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1130 to 1320 SAT (24 to 29 ACT). Scores are required, so schedule a retake if you are below the midpoint.
University of South Florida rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of South Florida's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.usf.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of South Florida, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, University of South Florida received 65,187 applications and admitted 26,699, an acceptance rate of 41%. 5,803 enrolled. Only about 22% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of South Florida enrolls about 37,207 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 22 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of South Florida?
Admitted students at University of South Florida post SAT scores of 1130 to 1320 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1227. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 24 to 29. A score above 1320 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1130 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of South Florida requires test scores, so plan a test date that leaves time for one retake.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of South Florida looks for
What University of South Florida weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, University of South Florida leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of South Florida's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of South Florida
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of South Florida cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of South Florida (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $22,859 a year. Tuition and fees are $6,410 for FL residents and $17,324 for out-of-state students, a $10,914 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $9,812 a year, and it ranges from $4,122 for families earning under $30,000 to $18,497 for families earning over $110,000. 29% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of South Florida graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of South Florida students ten years after entry are $57,743 ($48,328 at the six-year mark). 77% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 91% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $17,988; 24% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of South Florida compares in Florida
University of South Florida ranks #8 most selective of 37 schools in Florida in our database.
Among the 37 Florida schools we track, University of South Florida ranks #8 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Miami (19%) and Florida A&M University (21%) sit nearby, which makes Florida a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of South Florida
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around University of South Florida with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Chicago State University, NC State University, and UC Davis. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of South Florida's acceptance rate?
University of South Florida admitted 26,699 of 65,187 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 41% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 22% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of South Florida?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1130 to 1320 on the SAT and 24 to 29 on the ACT. A score above 1320 is in the top quarter of admits.
Is University of South Florida test-optional?
No. University of South Florida reports that test scores are required for admission.
How much does University of South Florida cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of South Florida, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $9,812 a year against a sticker price of about $22,859. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $4,122 on average.
What do University of South Florida graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of South Florida are $57,743 a year among students who received federal aid, and 77% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of South Florida value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of South Florida weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of South Florida favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of South Florida generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of South Florida?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of South Florida specifically.
How does residency affect admission to University of South Florida?
As a public university, University of South Florida typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
Is University of South Florida a target or a reach for an average applicant?
For an applicant whose GPA and scores sit near University of South Florida's admitted range, it generally reads as a target rather than a reach. Run your exact profile through the free calculator to see your personal verdict.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.