About USF

A Preeminent Research University with campuses across the Tampa Bay region, the University of South Florida is dedicated to empowering students to maximize their potential for lifelong success.

Points of Pride

Compiled by the USF Office of Decision Support
Last updated October 2022

In the region, in the state, in the nation and across the globe, the University of South Florida is making an impact. Here are just a few of the distinctive attributes that make our young, vibrant and dynamic university a leading institution of higher education.

Note: Some of the below statistics apply to the USF Tampa campus prior to consolidation on July 1, 2020. 

RESEARCH AND 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. 82% of the jobs created by USF innovation statewide are in the knowledge-based services sector.

  • The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FloridaInvents.org) was founded at USF in 2013. As of 2022, 58 outstanding Florida inventors have been elected, including 11 from USF.

  • USF is among the top 11 U.S. public universities and top 23 universities worldwide for granted U.S. patents according to the Intellectual Property Owners Association/NAI (2022), and has ranked in the top 15 among public universities for U.S. patents granted for the 10th consecutive year.
  • In 2021, 10 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 92 AAAS Fellows among its faculty.
  • USF is one of 65 public research universities nationwide classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral University with “Very High Research Activity” and as a “Community Engaged” institution 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 four public universities in the state of Florida classified as such (2022).

  • USF is the founder and home of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) (AcademyofInventors.org), a non-profit member organization with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 U.S. universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes. The NAI’s nationally recognized Fellows program has 1,567 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 53,000 issued patents. USF has 29 NAI Fellows. 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).

  • USF is designated by the Association for Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University, one of only 71 in the nation (2022).

  • USF was awarded a record $568.1 million in research contracts and grants in fiscal year 2021. According to the National Institutes of Health, every $1.00 in research funding brings in $2.63 in local economic growth. In FY2020, USF’s $568.1 million in research funding generated over $1.5 billion in local economic growth.

  • USF’s Tampa Bay Technology Incubator serviced 62 resident and affiliate companies this past year. Its current companies have created more than 453 jobs and received $186 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 215 student-led companies to date, with approximately 27 new companies each year (FY2022).

ACADEMIC VALUE

  • USF rose to #42 among public universities and #97 among all public and private universities in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) National University Rankings.
  • The Princeton Review listed USF as a Best Value College in 2021 for providing students with high-quality education and career readiness at an affordable cost.
  • One USF's graduate-level programs continue to be ranked among the best according to the 2023 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Graduate School Rankings. USF graduate programs in the top 50 include:
    • #3 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
    • #16 Public Health
    • #18 Audiology
    • #18 Criminology
    • #27 Rehabilitation Counseling
    • #27 Library and Information Studies
    • #35 Medical: Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas
    • #42 Nursing - Master's
    • #43 Health Care Management
    • #46 Medical: Research
    • #47 Industrial Engineering
    • #49 Physical Therapy
    • #50 Engineering: Environmental/Environmental Health
  • USF Tampa is ranked #18 in the nation and #9 among all public institutions in the 2021 Princeton Review Best Graduate Entrepreneurship program rankings.
  • USF ranks 30th among U.S. public institutions (marking the tenth consecutive year ranked in the top 50) and in the top 250 best universities in the world according to the 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
  • USF is ranked among the best in the 2022 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) Online Education Program rankings. USF online graduate programs ranked in the top 50 include Engineering, and the online MBA program, with Computer Information Technology in the top 15 nationwide.
  • The University of South Florida is home to a student body of 49,867 students representing over 146 different countries.
  • USF’s fall 2021 Freshman academic profile posts an average SAT score of 1297 and a high school GPA of 4.18, which exceeds the Florida Board of Governors Preeminence benchmarks.
  • The Morsani College of Medicine 2025 Class represents the most diverse and strongest academic class with an average MCAT score of 517 placing it among the 94th percentile nationally and a GPA of 3.83 (2021).
  • According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), USF Tampa ranks among the top 40 of the best U.S. public colleges and universities and is in the top 300 in the world (2022).
  • 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 third among the 50 Most Affordable In-State Public Universities (AffordableColleges.com) (2020). 
  • USF Tampa was named one of the Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges (#34 in-state, #15 out-of-state) by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance for 2019.
  • 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 (2022).
  • USF is ranked first in the Top 50 U.S. Financial Aid Counseling Programs by LendEDU (2020).
  • USF Tampa is recognized by The Education Trust as being #6 in the nation for eliminating the completion gap between black and white students, #4 in the nation for Latino student success, and #1 in the state of Florida for both (2017).
  • USF Tampa is recognized among the top 50  four-year public colleges and universities by The Chronicle of Higher Education (2019) for Best 6-year Graduation Rate for Pell Students. among 4-year public colleges and universities.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • USF is a recipient of the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, which recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

  • In America’s Best Employers by State, USF ranks No. 21 out of 100 public and private employers across a wide array of industries and No. 2 among higher education institutions.

  • USF is among America’s best employers for women, according to a new list published by Forbes. USF ranks No. 22 on the list, which includes employers across a wide range of industries.

  • #5 among U.S. universities for its sustainable development Times Higher Education (THE), 2022

  • USF faculty continue to earn national and international recognition. In 2021: USF faculty received 152 highly prestigious honors and awards.
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked USF #7 in the nation for Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars, with 7 faculty scholars for the 2021-2022 academic year.
  • USF won the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) 2019 Institutional Award for Global Learning, Research & Engagement. The Platinum Level APLU award focuses on four areas of excellence: inclusivity, internationalization of research and engagement, leadership and pervasiveness, and assessment. 
  • 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.
  • USF ranks first in Florida and 8th in the nation for reducing inequalities by Times Higher Education (2021). The rankings measure universities by several categories, including the number of first-generation students, the number of students from developing countries, the proportion of students and staff with disabilities, discrimination policies, and the amount of research a university conducted on reduced inequalities.
  • USF is the winner of the Institute of International Education’s 2019 Heiskell Award for Access and Equity.  
  • USF was home to 98 national scholarship and fellowship student awardees during the 2021-2022 academic year including Boren, Fulbright, Gilman, and Goldwater.
  • USF is now a “Preeminent State Research University," as designated by the Florida Board of Governors in June of 2018.
  • USF ranks #4 in student success among 1,100 public research and doctoral universities according to the 2018 Eduventures Student Success ratings.
  • USF is one of seven universities nationwide and the only university in Florida to earn the Active Minds Healthy Campus Award for promoting student health and well-being (2018).
  • The Institute of International Education has ranked USF 39th in the nation for all doctorate-granting institutions and 30th among public doctorate-granting universities as a Leading Institution for Study Abroad in the 2017-2018 academic year, according to the most recent Open Doors annual report.

VETERAN FRIENDLY

  • U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranked USF Tampa as a Best College for Veterans (2022).
  • USF ranked 2nd in Florida and 19th among all public four-year U.S institutions in the 2021 Military Times Best: Colleges. 
  • USF is one of only 15 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 is ranked among the top 20 best public institutions in the Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges (2021).

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • In 2020, USF received the Carnegie Foundation's "Community Engagement" Classification, a designation that recognizes institutional commitment to community and civic engagement. 
  • U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranks USF 18th among U.S. public universities as a top performer in Social Mobility, which assesses an institution's success enrolling, retaining and graduating students who come from families with lower incomes and receive federal Pell Grants (2022).

  • USF was recognized as a top performer in the 2020 Sustainable Campus Index as an institution of higher education dedicated to energy reduction and the development and use of clean and renewable energy sources. 
  • #5 among U.S. universities for its sustainable development Times Higher Education (THE), 2022

  • USF Tampa ranks #57 for sustainability among public institutions (Sierra Club, 2020).
  • USF is featured in Princeton Review’s Guide to 413 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 (2022).

USF 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 19 men’s and women’s varsity teams competing in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. That will become 20 teams in 2023-24 when the Bulls add women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport.
  • USF has claimed 14 national championships, 13 by individuals and one team title as the women’s swimming team won the 1985 NCAA Division II national championship.
  • USF has won 26 conference titles since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013, including six conference championship trophies claimed in 2020-21.
  • USF has claimed 130 conference titles by 14 different sports programs since it began intercollegiate athletic competition in 1965.
  • Bulls have received 29 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 four years.
  • Bulls have earned 44 All-America honors since 2013.
  • USF saw nine programs reach postseason competition in 2020-21.
  • 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.
  • 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 six straight years and is currently in the midst of a program record string of 13 straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0.
  • USF Athletics has posted a Graduation Success Rate of 80 percent or better for seven straight years. 
  • USF has seen more than 450 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 more than $70 million in recent years in renovating and maintaining some of the top athletic facilities in the nation and has broken ground on a $22 million Indoor Performance Center to be completed prior to the start of the 2022 season.
  • In September of 2021, USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford announced the university’s intention to build an on-campus football stadium.
  • 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 and student attendance increasing across all USF sporting events.