Points of Pride

Maintined by the Office of Decision Support and the Office of the Provost. Last Updated: October 2024

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’s fast rise. Of the association’s now 71 members, USF is the fifth youngest and one of only six AAU universities to be founded after 1950.

University of South Florida joins the AAU. Association of American Universities.

National & International Ranking

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 University of South Florida is home to a student body of 48,732 students representing over 146 different countries.
U.S. News ranks USF as the “best value” among all public universities in Florida (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’ America’s 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 (2025).

Student Success

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 (2024).
USF is ranked among the best in the 2024 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, and #40 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’s commitment to student success.
Times Higher Education Impact Rankings place USF as 12th overall for sustainable development in the U.S. USF’s highest SDG score is for Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure followed by No Poverty (2024).
USF was home to 75 national scholarship and fellowship student awardees during the 2023-2024 academic year including Fulbright, Gilman, and Goldwater.
USF’s graduate-level programs continue to be ranked among the best according to the 2024 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Graduate School Rankings. USF graduate programs in the top 50 include:

Industrial and Organizational Psychology (#3)
Criminology (#18)
Audiology (#22)
Nursing - Master’s (#24)
Library and Information Studies (#27)
Public Health (#29)
Physical Therapy (#33)
Nursing – Doctor of Nursing Practice (#34)
Nursing – Anesthesia (#36)
Rehabilitation Counseling (#46)
Education - Overall (#48)
Engineering - Environmental / Environmental Health (#48)
Engineering - Industrial / Manufacturing/Systems (#48)
USF is ranked #9 in the nation and #1 among southern institutions in the 2024 Princeton Review Best Graduate Entrepreneurship program rankings.
U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranked USF 57th among the Best Colleges for Veterans (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 was designated as a Voter Friendly Campus two years in a row (voterfriendlycampus.org, 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 (2024).

USF faculty continue to earn national and international recognition. USF faculty earned 134 national and international awards in 2022.
The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked USF among the top 10 institutions in the nation for Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars, with 8 faculty scholars for the 2023-2024 academic year.
In America’s Best Employers by State, USF ranks No. 1 among the state's public universities and No. 30 compared to employers across industries.
In 2023, 4 USF faculty were elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious honors for academic research. As of 2024, USF has a total of 95 AAAS Fellows among its faculty.
USF is among America’s best employers for women in Education, according to a new list published by Forbes. USF ranks No. 19 on the list (2024).
The USF Chapter of the NAI has over 600 USF faculty, staff, students and alumni members, who collectively hold more than 2,900 U.S. patents (2022).

Research & Innovation

USF’s 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 2019 analysis from the Washington Economics Group, a leading national firm.
The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FloridaInvents.org) was founded at USF in 2013. As of 2023, 68 outstanding Florida inventors have been elected, including 11 from USF.
In FY2024, the Florida High Tech Corridor Matching Grants Research Program awarded more than $2 million to support 21 research projects across five USF colleges. These funds, in part, support more than 160 student research engagements with industry.
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).
In 2022, six USF faculty were elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious honors for academic research. USF currently has a total of 93 AAAS Fellows among its faculty.
USF is one of 107 public research universities nationwide classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral University with “Very High Research Activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The title of “Very High Research Activity” 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 is the founder and home of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) (AcademyofInventors.org), a non-profit member organization with over 4,600 individual members, including fellows, senior members, and chapter members, affiliated with more than 300 institutions worldwide. The NAI’s nationally recognized fellows program has more than 1,700 elected fellows, including Nobel laureates, U.S. National Medal of Technology & Innovation and National Medal of Science recipients and National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees, who collectively hold more than 58,000 issued U.S. patents.
USF has 31 NAI Fellows. The USF Chapter of the NAI has over 600 USF faculty, staff, students and alumni members, who collectively hold nearly 3,000 U.S. patents (2022).
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 four areas of excellence: inclusivity, internationalization of research and engagement, leadership and pervasiveness, and assessment.
USF was awarded $692 million in research contracts and grants in fiscal year 2023. According to the National Institutes of Health, every $1.00 in research funding brings in $2.64 in local economic growth. In FY2023, USF’s $692 million research funding generated over $1.8 billion in local economic growth.
USF’s 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’s 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).

Social Responsibility

USF is one of 107 public research universities nationwide classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral University with “Very High Research Activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The title of “Very High Research Activity” 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 2024 Sustainable Campus Index.
U.S. News ranks USF as the “best value” among all public universities in Florida (2024).
USF is featured in Princeton Review’s 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.
USF 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).
Times Higher Education Impact Rankings place USF 12th overall 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).

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.

Learn more

Graphic image that reads boundless bulls.

Access to Opportunity

U.S. News ranks USF as the “best value” among all public universities in Florida (2024).
Approximately 35% of USF 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 USF students are the first in their families to attend college (2023).
Reflecting USF’s 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.
USF earns Collegiate Purple Star Campus designation, which recognizes higher education institutions that provide critical support to military-connected students and families (2024).
Times Higher Education Impact Rankings place USF 12th overall 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).

Athletics

USF Athletics serves nearly 500 student-athletes that train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the Tampa campus.
USF fields 21 men’s and women’s varsity teams competing in 11 different sports, 20 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. USF most recently added women’s lacrosse and beach volleyball to its varsity sports offerings.
USF has claimed 16 national championships in varsity athletics, 15 by individuals and one team title as the women’s swimming team won the 1985 NCAA Division II national championship. Most recently, high jumper Romaine Beckford won NCAA Championships in the high jump in both the indoor and outdoor championships.
USF has won 28 conference titles since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013, including six conference championship trophies claimed in 2020-21.
USF has claimed 142 conference titles by 15 different sports programs since it began intercollegiate athletic competition in 1965.
Bulls have received 40 Conference Player or Rookie of the Year awards and 13 coaches or coaching staff have been named Coach of the Year since joining The American.
USF has had nine different programs achieve a top 25 national ranking in the last five years.
Bulls have earned 60 All-America honors since 2013.
USF saw nine programs reach postseason competition in 2021-22.
USF softball coach Ken Eriksen led the U.S. Olympic Women’s Softball Team to a silver medal for the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
USF has had 16 alumni compete as athletes in the Olympic Games and one gold medalist in women’s soccer.
USF football has made 10 bowl game appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25.
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.
Bulls have earned 23 Academic All-American honors, including four student-athletes that were twice honored.
USF Athletics has posted a combined grade-point average over 3.0 for eight straight years and is currently in the midst of a program record string of 17 straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0.
USF has seen more than 600 student-athletes earn their degree since 2016-17.
Prior to the pandemic, USF student-athletes, coaches and staff contributed 4,277 hours of community service in a year and logged more than 14,000 hours over a three-year period.
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.
USF has invested nearly $100 million in renovating and maintaining some of the top athletic facilities in the nation, including the recent completion of a $22 million Indoor Performance Facility that opened in the spring of 2023 and a master facilities plan that includes upgrades to all athletic facilities as USF creates one of the best athletic campuses in the nation.
In September of 2021, USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford announced the university’s intention to build an on-campus football stadium. Funding for the $340-million, 35,000-seat stadium was approved by the Florida Board of Governors in the fall of 2023 and the stadium is set to open on the east end of campus in the 2026 season.
USF student support is a big part of the Bulls’ athletics success with an average of nearly 8,000 students per game attending home football games in recent seasons, including more than 10,000 bringing the energy for a 2023 game vs. No. 10 Alabama, and student attendance has surged across all USF sporting events.
USF Athletics has been named one of the “Best College Athletic Departments" for 2024 by Front Office Sports. The award is presented to institutions whose athletic departments serve as a national model for innovation and maximizing the success of their student-athletes.

Sustainability

USF is featured in Princeton Review’s 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 was recognized as a Silver Rated Institution in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index.
USF Tampa ranks #63 for sustainability among public institutions (Sierra Club, 2021).
Times Higher Education Impact Rankings place USF 12th overall 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).